Disease-Dependent Accessibility of Hair Follicle Compartments Revealed by Tape-Strip Transcriptomics

Tape-strip RNA sequencing, a noninvasive method for profiling inflammatory skin diseases, primarily captures surface-connected epithelial compartments of the human hair follicle, with deeper follicular programs still requiring biopsies. However, in the case of alopecia areata, this method uniquely expands follicular accessibility, allowing for a broader recovery of follicular inflammatory signatures.