Cell-Based Treatments for Hair Loss: Research Update on Hair Cloning

In 2013, research into cell-based treatments for hair loss, specifically "hair cloning" or cultured follicular cell implantation, had not made significant progress despite promising animal studies. Clinical trials were ongoing, but no results in humans had been published. Early reports from trials using cultured dermal sheath "cup" cells (DSC) suggested safety and potential hair thickening. However, no reproducible de novo hair follicle induction in humans had been reported. Commercial ventures indicated that implantation of cultured follicular cells might result in thickening of native hair follicles. The document also discussed various studies exploring the role of dermal papilla cells in inducing hair follicles, the importance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, the use of spheroid cell cultures, and the potential for full regeneration of hair follicles through stem cell rearrangement and bioengineered hair follicular unit transplantation. The future of cell-based treatments for hair loss remained uncertain.