Generation of iPS-Derived Model Cells for the Analysis of Hair Development

Researchers developed a model using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to study hair follicle development. They used a tetracycline-inducible system to introduce BMP-4 cDNA into mouse iPS cells, creating tet-BMP4-iPS cells. When these cells were co-cultured with embryonic skin fibroblasts and treated with retinoic acid (RA) and doxycycline (Dox), they differentiated into hair follicle components, expressing specific keratins at different stages. A luciferase reporter system was also developed to trace hair shaft differentiation, revealing that keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) accelerates this process. This model could be useful for developing and evaluating hair-growth treatments.