TLDR Hair follicle stem cells can be cultured, but better methods are needed for longer growth.
This study aimed to locate the hair bulge area and develop basic technology for culturing hair follicle stem cells. Hair root samples were obtained from plastic surgery, and the putative stem cells were cultured in a specific medium. Hoechst dye staining confirmed the presence of numerous cells in the bulge area, and the stem cells successfully outgrew from this area for up to four days. The study suggested that further research was needed to improve the culture environment to extend the duration of cell culture.
Dermal stem cells help regenerate hair follicles and heal skin wounds.
179 citations
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April 2012 in “Nature Communications” Regenerated fully functional hair follicles using stem cells, with potential for hair regrowth therapy.
120 citations
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August 2008 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Cytokeratin 19 and cytokeratin 15 are key markers for monitoring the quality and self-renewing potential of engineered skin.
6 citations
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November 2020 in “Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology” Androgens reduce BMP2, which weakens the ability of certain cells to help hair stem cells become different types of cells.
73 citations
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August 2011 in “Stem Cell Research” Human hair follicle stem cells can turn into multiple cell types but lose some of this ability after being grown in the lab for a long time.