Multipotent Hair Follicle Stem Cells Promote Repair of Spinal Cord Injury and Recovery of Walking Function
June 2008
in “
Cell Cycle
”
Studysummary This study found that in mice, transplanting hair follicle stem cells promoted recovery from spinal cord injury, as these cells largely differentiated into Schwann cells aiding nerve repair. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study demonstrated that multipotent hair follicle stem cells from C57BL transgenic mice could promote the repair of spinal cord injuries and aid in the recovery of walking function. These stem cells, which were positive for stem cell markers nestin and CD34, but negative for keratin 15, were capable of differentiating into various cell types, including neurons and Schwann cells. When transplanted into the injury site of severed thoracic spinal cords in mice, the cells primarily differentiated into Schwann cells, facilitating the repair and reestablishment of hind-limb locomotor performance. The findings suggested that hair follicle stem cells could serve as an effective, accessible source for treating peripheral nerve and spinal cord injuries.
