Sustained Human Hair Follicle Growth Ex Vivo in a Glycosaminoglycan Hydrogel Matrix

In the study from April 9, 2019, researchers found that growing human hair follicles in a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) hydrogel, which simulates the dermal matrix, significantly promotes cell survival and proliferation within the hair bulb and suprabulbar regions. This effect was linked to the activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling pathways and the expression of stem cell markers and growth factors that are involved in the transition from the resting phase (telogen) to the growth phase (anagen) of the hair cycle. The findings suggest that the dermal GAG matrix plays a crucial role in regulating the human hair follicle growth cycle and that GAG-based hydrogels could be effective in modulating this process for hair growth applications.