The Use of Dermal Papilla Cells in Studies of Normal and Abnormal Hair Follicle Biology

The document from 1996 highlights the significance of dermal papilla cells in the regulation of hair growth and their potential role in hair disorders like alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia. It acknowledges the complexity of hair follicle biology and the challenges in fully understanding and controlling hair disorders. The discovery of hair growth-stimulating drugs such as minoxidil and finasteride suggests that dormant follicles can be reactivated. The dermal papilla, crucial for hair growth, is smaller in balding follicles, and androgens may influence hair follicles through these cells. Cultured dermal papilla cells, despite being difficult to grow and maintain, have been shown to retain hair growth-promoting properties and can initiate hair follicle development when transplanted into animals. The document concludes that further research into the factors produced by these cells could provide deeper insights into both normal and abnormal hair follicle function.