Intravenous Transplantation of Human Hair Follicle-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorates Trabecular Bone Loss in Osteoporotic Mice

March 2022 in “ Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology ”

Longshuai Lin, Enjun He, Hongjie Wang, Weihong Guo, Zhenkai Wu, Kai Huang, Qinghua Zhao

TLDR Human hair follicle stem cells can help treat bone loss in osteoporosis.

The study demonstrated that intravenous transplantation of human hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hHF-MSCs) ameliorated trabecular bone loss in osteoporotic mice by promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption. The research involved 12 mice per group and showed that hHF-MSCs up-regulated OPG and Wnt2b while down-regulating VCAM-1, RANKL, and Noggin, which are key regulators in bone metabolism. This suggested a novel therapeutic potential for hHF-MSCs in treating osteoporosis, offering a promising alternative to other mesenchymal stem cells due to their accessibility and potential for long-term storage and use. However, further studies were needed to understand the detailed mechanisms and long-term effects of this treatment.

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research Epidermal Growth Factor Induces Proliferation of Hair Follicle-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mediated Activation of ERK and AKT Signaling Pathways Associated With Upregulation of Cyclin D1 and Downregulation of p16

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Human hair follicle stem cells can turn into multiple cell types but lose some of this ability after being grown in the lab for a long time.

research Hair Follicle-Derived Smooth Muscle Cells and Small Intestinal Submucosa for Engineering Mechanically Robust and Vasoreactive Vascular Media

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research Comparative Characterization of Hair Follicle Dermal Stem Cells and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

151 citations , February 2006 in “Stem Cells and Development”

Hair follicles can be a good source of stem cells like those from bone marrow.