Isolation and Characterization of a Fetal-Maternal Microchimeric Stem Cell Population in Maternal Hair Follicles Long After Childbirth

The study identified and characterized fetal-maternal microchimeric stem cells (FMSC) in maternal hair follicles long after childbirth. Using techniques like FUE, FISH, and RT-qPCR, researchers found these cells exhibited pluripotency markers and could differentiate into osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. The presence of FMSC in maternal tissues for decades suggested potential for tissue repair, regeneration, and clinical applications due to their pluripotency, low immunogenicity, and high tolerogenicity. This was the first study to isolate FMSC in adult human hair, indicating a long-term persistence mechanism possibly linked to maternal pluripotent stem cells deposited during early embryogenesis.