TLDR Hair follicle stem cells can turn into various cell types and help repair nerves.
In 2009, researchers found that hair follicle stem cells expressing nestin and CD34 are multipotent, capable of differentiating into a variety of cell types such as neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells, and melanocytes. These cells do not express keratin 15, confirming their undifferentiated state. In vivo experiments showed that when these stem cells were transplanted into nude mice with severed sciatic or tibial nerves, they promoted nerve regeneration and functional recovery, often becoming Schwann cells. This study suggests that hair follicle stem cells could be a viable and ethical source of autologous stem cells for peripheral nerve injury treatment and have potential applications in regenerative medicine. The document does not provide the number of subjects used in the study.
80 citations,
September 2007 in “Cell Cycle” 
829 citations,
May 2007 in “Nature” Hair follicles can regrow in wounded adult mouse skin using a process like embryo development.
949 citations,
January 2001 in “Cell” Adult mouse skin contains stem cells that can create new hair, skin, and oil glands.
1010 citations,
August 2000 in “Cell” Hair follicle stem cells can form both hair follicles and skin.
262 citations,
May 2017 in “Nanomedicine” New nanofiber technology improves wound healing by supporting cell growth and delivering treatments directly to the wound.
50 citations,
February 2007 in “Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy” Hair follicle stem cells could help repair nerves and avoid ethical issues linked to embryonic stem cells.
1 citations,
July 2009 in “Journal of dermatology” A 29-year-old man had a jaw plaque diagnosed as follicular mucinosis, linked to nestin-positive hair follicle stem cells.
65 citations,
November 2012 in “Tissue Engineering Part B-reviews” Hair follicle stem cells are a promising source for tissue repair and treating skin or hair diseases.
23 citations,
December 2020 in “Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology” Gene network oscillations inside hair stem cells are key for hair growth regulation and could help treat hair loss.
