De Novo Follicular Regeneration of the Skin by Wingless Int 3 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Genes Introduced into Dermal Fibroblasts and Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Protein

In this study, researchers successfully regenerated skin and its appendages by transplanting cultured dermal fibroblasts, which had been genetically modified with morphogen genes, into full-thickness skin defects on rats. The dermal fibroblasts, obtained from Fisher 344 rats, were cultured on hydroxyapatite beads and adsorbed onto a collagen sponge for transplantation. The genes introduced included ad-bone morphogenetic protein 2 and ad-wingless int 3, along with fibroblast growth factor-2 protein. By Week 4, follicle germs or primitive hair germs appeared only in the group with the combined gene and protein treatment. By Week 16, this group developed mature hair follicles with pilosebaceous systems in the wound area, demonstrating the potential for de novo follicular regeneration.