Characterization of Human Dermal Papilla Cells in Alginate Spheres

In the 2018 study, researchers explored the cultivation of human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in alginate spheres as a method to maintain their hair growth-inducing potential for treating androgenic alopecia. The study found that DPCs did not proliferate within the alginate spheres but remained dormant and maintained their numbers. The dormant DPCs in the spheres showed upregulated expression of signature genes associated with DPCs and retained their proliferative capacity. The study concluded that the alginate sphere environment preserves the trichogenicity of DPCs, which could be beneficial for long-term cultivation and potential clinical applications in hair loss therapies. The study also noted that the size and density of the alginate spheres influenced cell survival and proliferation, with a convergence of live cell numbers after 70 days. The findings suggest that the 3D alginate sphere culture system can maintain the inductive properties of DPCs, which are essential for hair follicle formation and growth.