Whole Hair Follicle Culture

The document discussed the in vitro culture of whole hair follicles, highlighting that while embryonic hair follicles could initially sustain hair growth in isolated skin plugs, this ability diminished with time and the age of the embryo. Postembryonic hair follicle growth was also studied, showing responsiveness to exogenous growth factors. The successful culture of hair follicles required careful isolation to avoid damage, using methods like shearing and microdissection. The study emphasized the potential of cultured hair follicles as a model system to explore hair biology and the mechanisms controlling hair growth, suggesting further in vitro and in vivo studies. The research was funded by Unilever and acknowledged contributions from several individuals and sources.