Nanoscale Microenvironment Engineering for Expanding Human Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Revealing Their Plasticity
March 2021
in “
Journal of Nanobiotechnology
”
human hair follicle stem cells nanoscale biomimetic extracellular matrix gelatin alginate FGF-7 VEGF-A CD200 α6 BMP2 stem cell homeostasis hair follicle reconstruction hair follicle stem cells extracellular matrix fibroblast growth factor 7 vascular endothelial growth factor A bone morphogenetic protein 2
TLDR A new method was developed to grow and maintain human hair follicle stem cells for hair reconstruction.
The study developed a novel 2D culture model using layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly with gelatin and alginate to create a nanoscale biomimetic extracellular matrix (ECM) for human hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). This system aimed to expand HFSCs and reveal their plasticity by maintaining the CD200+α6+ HFSC population. The LbL coating, combined with growth factors like FGF-7, VEGF-A, and BMP2, effectively expanded and regulated HFSCs, achieving significant increases in the CD200+α6+ population. This method maintained HFSC properties without feeder cells, offering a new tool for hair follicle reconstruction and stem cell homeostasis research, with promising implications for hair regeneration therapies.
