TLDR Chick embryo extract helps rat hair follicle stem cells become more like neurons.
This study explores the impact of chick embryo extract (CEE) on rat hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) to promote their differentiation into neuronal lineages and enhance trophic factor expression. HFSCs were isolated from rat whisker pads and cultured with fetal bovine serum (FBS) alone or combined with CEE. The CEE preconditioning resulted in significant morphological changes, promoting neuronal differentiation and increasing the expression of neurotrophic factors like BDNF and VEGF. The CEE-FBS group exhibited more cells with neurites and longer neurite lengths, indicating a shift toward neural-like morphology. Additionally, there was a reduction in the glial marker PDGFR-α and an increase in the neuronal marker MAP2, suggesting a commitment to neuronal lineage. The study, involving 33 samples, suggests that CEE preconditioning could enhance the therapeutic potential of HFSCs for central nervous system regeneration.
August 2023 in “Stem cell reviews and reports” 
5 citations,
January 2023 in “Cell proliferation” Chick embryo extract helps rat hair follicle stem cells potentially turn into Schwann cells, important for the nervous system.
8 citations,
July 2022 in “BMC neuroscience” Transplanted hair follicle stem cells improved brain function and reduced damage after a stroke in rats.
5 citations,
January 2017 in “Molecular Medicine Reports” Human hair follicle cells can be turned into neural stem cell-like cells, which might help treat brain diseases.
4 citations,
January 2016 in “Advances in experimental medicine and biology” Freezing and storing special stem cells from hair follicles keeps their ability to grow hair and turn into different cell types.
25 citations,
January 2015 in “World journal of stem cells” Hair follicle stem cells can become different cell types and may help treat neurodegenerative disorders.
13 citations,
September 2014 in “Birth defects research” Human epidermal neural crest stem cells could be used for therapies, drug discovery, and disease modeling.
17 citations,
January 2014 in “Stem Cells Translational Medicine” Canine epidermal neural crest stem cells could be a promising treatment for spinal cord injuries in dogs.
5 citations,
January 2023 in “Cell proliferation” Chick embryo extract helps rat hair follicle stem cells potentially turn into Schwann cells, important for the nervous system.
November 2023 in “Research Square (Research Square)” NIR-II imaging effectively tracked stem cells that helped repair facial nerve defects in rats.
8 citations,
July 2022 in “BMC neuroscience” Transplanted hair follicle stem cells improved brain function and reduced damage after a stroke in rats.
March 2025 in “Anatomy & Cell Biology” Hair follicle stem cell secretions may help protect brain cells and improve stroke recovery.
August 2025 in “Pharmaceuticals” Hemp seed-derived exosomes help restore feather growth in chickens affected by DHT.
