Enhanced In Vitro Hair Growth at the Air-Liquid Interface: Minoxidil Preserves the Root Sheath in Cultured Whisker Follicles

July 1993 in “ In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal ”

Daniel J. Waldon, Thomas T. Kawabe, C.A. Baker, George Johnson, Ann Buhl

minoxidil root sheath whisker follicles air-liquid interface collagen matrix anagen-like morphology TIMP expression sulfotransferase activity pinacidil Rogaine

Studysummary Minoxidil enhances hair growth and preserves the root sheath in cultured follicles.

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The study investigated the maintenance of hair follicles in culture, focusing on the effects of minoxidil on whisker follicles. By culturing follicles at the air-liquid interface on a modified collagen matrix, researchers observed a 2.7-fold increase in hair growth and an anagen-like morphology compared to submerged cultures. Minoxidil and its analogs were found to stimulate cysteine incorporation and specifically preserve the follicular root sheath, as indicated by increased TIMP expression and sulfotransferase activity. This preservation was not observed with the pinacidil analog, suggesting a unique action of minoxidil on the root sheath. The study concluded that the air-liquid interface culture method was superior for maintaining follicle morphology and promoting hair growth.

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Enhanced In Vitro Hair Growth at the Air-Liquid Interface: Minoxidil Preserves the Root Sheath in Cultured Whisker Follicles

Research cited in this study

research A HPLC-Based Chloramphenicol Acetyltransferase Assay for Assessing Hair Growth: Comparison of the Sensitivity of UV and Fluorescence Detection

research Potassium Channel Conductance: A Mechanism Affecting Hair Growth Both In Vitro and In Vivo

research High-Sulfur Protein Gene Expression in a Transgenic Mouse

research Localization of Minoxidil Sulfotransferase in Rat Liver and the Outer Root Sheath of Anagen Pelage and Vibrissa Follicles

research Human Hair Growth In Vitro

research Minoxidil Sulfate Is the Active Metabolite That Stimulates Hair Follicles

research Hair-Specific Expression of Chloramphenicol Acetyltransferase in Transgenic Mice Under the Control of an Ultra-High-Sulfur Keratin Promoter

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research Minoxidil Stimulates Mouse Vibrissae Follicles in Organ Culture

research Sulfation of Minoxidil by Human Platelet Sulfotransferase

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