139 citations
,
October 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study describes previously unknown immune characteristics of the normal human nail, highlighting its similarities to the hair follicle immune system and suggesting an immune privilege in the proximal nail matrix that both provides autoimmunity protection and presents infection susceptibility.
March 2026 in “Frontiers in Medicine” This study provides a framework for understanding different types of alopecias based on immune privilege collapse at specific follicular sites, revealing distinct patterns in immune effector programs and stromal influences depending on the alopecia type.
2 citations
,
April 2024 in “Advanced Materials” This study tested a hydrogel microneedle patch delivering T reg attractants in mice with alopecia, finding it boosted regulatory T cell numbers at the site, leading to hair regrowth without causing peripheral immunosuppression, suggesting a potential new approach for autoimmune skin disease treatment.
7 citations
,
May 2020 in “Trends in molecular medicine” This study explored the immune environment of the hair follicle's bulge region and suggested that its unique signaling may prevent melanoma formation by lacking necessary proinflammatory signals for full oncogenic transformation, indicating potential strategies for melanoma prevention by replicating this immune-privileged environment.
December 2012 in “Journal of dermatological science” This study observed that Langerhans cells and melanocytes migrated to hair follicle sites during human embryogenesis, suggesting that Langerhans cells acquire immunoregulatory properties there.
