Induction of Hair Follicles Using Neonatal Mouse Dermis and Human Keratinocytes: Relevance for Improved Burn Wound Treatments

This study explored the potential for inducing hair follicle formation in burn wounds by co-culturing human keratinocytes with neonatal mouse mesenchymal cells. The research found that neonatal mouse mesenchymal cells initially had hair induction potential, as indicated by the expression of dermal papilla signature genes, but this potential was lost during in vitro propagation. However, maintaining cells in high-density cultures or spheroids helped restore this potential. Human foreskin keratinocytes showed stem cell properties but faced challenges in expansion, leading to the use of immortalized HaCaT keratinocytes, which upregulated Wnt signaling genes during co-culture. The study concluded that efficient culture methods are necessary to maintain the undifferentiated state of human keratinocytes for potential hair follicle induction.