Generating new follicles

[IDW2BB]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24468981

Abstract

Epithelial stem cells (EpSCs) in the hair follicle bulge are required for hair follicle growth and cycling. The isolation and propagation of human EpSCs for tissue engineering purposes remains a challenge. Here we develop a strategy to differentiate human iPSCs (hiPSCs) into CD200(+)/ITGA6(+) EpSCs that can reconstitute the epithelial components of the hair follicle and interfollicular epidermis. The hiPSC-derived CD200(+)/ITGA6(+) cells show a similar gene expression signature as EpSCs directly isolated from human hair follicles. Human iPSC-derived CD200(+)/ITGA6(+) cells are capable of generating all hair follicle lineages including the hair shaft, and the inner and outer root sheaths in skin reconstitution assays. The regenerated hair follicles possess a KRT15(+) stem cell population and produce hair shafts expressing hair-specific keratins. These results suggest an approach for generating large numbers of human EpSCs for tissue engineering and new treatments for hair loss, wound healing and other degenerative skin disorders.

 

[The Far Side]

Did you buy the PDF? (£22) or could did you find anything interesting just looking at the figures?

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140128/ncomms4071/full/ncomms4071.html

I don't really know what to make of things like this

 

[TheHandsomeLurker]

Did you buy the PDF? (£22) or could did you find anything interesting just looking at the figures?

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140128/ncomms4071/full/ncomms4071.html

I don't really know what to make of things like this

I admire a man who admits when he doesn't understand.

Unfortunately this isn't my field, so I'm not a well-informed reporter. That said, the abstract notes:

These results suggest an approach for generating large numbers of human EpSCs for tissue engineering and new treatments for hair loss, wound healing and other degenerative skin disorders.

These researchers found a way to take cells from humans, use them to grow new cells, and implant them into a living organism, and the cells functioned as one would expect. As I understand it, this is a major step in figuring out how to grow fully functional hair follicles in a lab which can then be implanted in a human, specifically a balding man.

 

[IDW2BB]

This is another way to obtain the large number of Human EpSCs needed for follicle growth in engineered skin. We want the engineered skin to be as much like our own skin as possible. We want total matching gene expression so that we can use the engineered skin to test therapies for different conditions. The engineered skin will take the place of a mouse. If we get it good enough, perhaps we could create hair outside our body for transplantation. Just my thoughts anyway.