TLDR Human hair follicle stem cells can be turned into red blood cells.
The study demonstrated that human hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells (hHFMSCs) could be transdifferentiated into mature, enucleated red blood cells (RBCs) by enforcing the expression of the transcription factor OCT4 and treating with hematopoietic cytokines. The resulting RBCs expressed both fetal and adult hemoglobin chains and underwent multiple maturation events, indicating their potential as a source for patient-specific transfusions. This novel approach suggested that hHFMSCs could serve as an alternative source for generating RBCs, offering significant implications for regenerative medicine and blood transfusion therapies.
64 citations
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December 2012 in “Stem Cell Reviews and Reports” Human hair follicle cells can be turned into stem cells similar to embryonic stem cells.
71 citations
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May 2007 in “The FASEB journal” Human hair follicles produce and respond to erythropoietin, helping protect against stress.
December 2024 in “Stem Cell Research & Therapy” ZO-1 helps hair follicle stem cells renew better by changing their structure.
26 citations
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July 2021 in “Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology” The review suggests that a special cell-derived treatment shows promise for various skin conditions and hair growth but needs more research for confirmation.
57 citations
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January 2019 in “Stem Cell Research & Therapy” OCT4 helps hair stem cells renew and fight aging, potentially aiding hair regrowth.
14 citations
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January 2020 in “Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology” Fat and hair follicle stem cells can become neurons, useful for treating brain diseases.
16 citations
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March 2021 in “Frontiers in cell and developmental biology” A new method using Y-27632 improves the growth and quality of human hair follicle stem cells for tissue engineering and therapy.
