Tissue Engineering of Human Hair Follicles Using a Biomimetic Developmental Approach

In the 2018 study, researchers successfully engineered human hair follicles (HFs) using a biomimetic approach and 3D-printed molds to create a conducive microenvironment. They discovered that overexpressing the gene Lef-1 in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) significantly improved their hair-inducing properties, leading to a 70% success rate of HF differentiation in human skin constructs (HSCs). The study also incorporated vascularization into the HSCs before grafting onto immunodeficient mice, which resulted in efficient human hair growth. The method showed promise for treating alopecia and chronic wounds, marking the first instance of generating human HFs entirely ex vivo from cultured cells. The study involved ten mice per condition, with seven grafts surviving and four successfully generating human HFs. This research represents a significant advancement in hair tissue engineering and could provide a platform for creating human HFs ex vivo for various applications.