Morphogenesis of Chimeric Hair Follicles in Engineered Skin Substitutes With Human Keratinocytes and Murine Dermal Papilla Cells

The study investigated the creation of chimeric hair follicles in engineered skin substitutes using human keratinocytes and murine dermal papilla cells (mDPC). It showed that mDPC could induce hair-like structures in these substitutes, although the structures were anatomically incomplete and did not erupt. Differences in WNT10A expression across conditions emphasized the importance of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hair morphogenesis. The research suggested that while mDPC could start hair formation, further regulation of signaling pathways was needed for normal human hair growth. The study also proposed future research on human dermal papilla cells from younger donors and the role of stabilized β-catenin, marking progress towards therapies for alopecia and related conditions.