Methods for the Isolation and 3D Culture of Dermal Papilla Cells from Human Hair Follicles

In the 2017 document, the authors presented a protocol for isolating and culturing human dermal papilla cells from hair follicles, which are key in hair growth regulation. They highlighted the necessity of a micro-dissection approach due to the inability to digest human dermal papilla into a single cell suspension with enzymes. The paper detailed the isolation process using an inversion technique and the culture of these cells in 3D spheroids via a hanging drop method, which helps to restore their hair-inducing capacity lost during in vitro culture. This capacity is particularly relevant for conditions like androgenetic alopecia. The document also discussed the challenges of cell isolation, the potential benefits of new methods to improve yield, and the trade-offs between 3D culture's physiological relevance and its unsuitability for high-throughput applications. The research was supported by The Royal Society and Medical Research Council without any conflicts of interest.