A Novel Cell Surface Marker for Hair Follicle Dermal Cells Throughout Hair Morphogenesis and Cycling

In the 2018 study, researchers aimed to identify a novel cell surface marker for hair follicle dermal cells, which are crucial for hair follicle regeneration and growth. They focused on the Leptin receptor (LepR) gene, which was previously found to be highly expressed in the dermal papilla (DP) cells of an E14.5 mouse embryo. The study utilized a novel in-vivo mouse model to investigate the relationship between LepR and hair follicle dermal cells throughout the various stages of hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling. The findings revealed that LepR is consistently associated with hair follicle dermal cells during these stages. Isolation of LepR+ cells from hair follicles confirmed the genetic expression of DP cells, supporting the suitability of LepR as a cell surface marker for DP cells. This discovery could facilitate future research on DP cells and potentially aid in developing new strategies for hair follicle research.