Whisker Follicles Transplanted to the Spine of Nude Mice for Spinal Cord Repair Generate Extensive Ectopic Hair Growth

In this study, whisker follicles from ND-GFP mice, containing nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells, were transplanted into the injured spinal cords of nude mice to promote healing. After 90 days, the spinal cord lesions were observed to have healed, with intense ND-GFP expression indicating the involvement of the transplanted stem cells. Unexpectedly, the transplanted whisker follicles generated extensive ectopic hair growth around the spinal cord, demonstrating the potential for hair growth even at non-native sites.