Hope for a Hair Loss Cure? Taiwanese Research Group Injects Cultured Hair Follicle Stem Cells Into Humans

For years, culturing human hair follicle stem cells has been a challenging and perplexing issue for hair loss researchers. Hair follicles contain two areas of stem cell activity: the “bulge” stem cells located in the outer root sheath of the follicle (upper and outside portion of the follicle) and the dermal papilla stem cells (lower portion of the follicle). While researchers succeeded in replicating the material responsible for the bulge stem cells in the past, isolating and replicating dermal papilla cells remained an illusive challenge. However, last year hair follicle researcher Dr. Colin Jahoda made an interesting discovery: culturing (multiplying and growing isolated cells outside of the body) dermal papilla cells in a flat, two-dimensional model consistently results in poor growth and cells unable to induce functional hair follicles (as both the bulge stem cells and dermal papilla cells are needed for hair follicle growth); however, culturing the dermal papilla cells in a three-dimensional, spherical model that mimics that shape of a hair follicle results in much more active hair follicles.

Dr. Jahoda took his breakthrough to Columbia University, where he and Dr. Angela Christiano tested his 3-D dermal papilla culture method. The group found that these cultured dermal papilla cells were able to express 22% of the genetic material of natural cells and created hair follicles capable of growing thin, wiry, colorless hair. Though this was a significant breakthrough, Dr. Jahoda and Dr. Christiano stressed the need for additional studies to increase the gene expression and create follicles capable of growing aesthetically acceptable hair.

Now, it appears as if researchers at the National Taiwan Universtiy Hospital are ready to continue 3-D dermal papilla culture experimentation by becoming the first scientists to inject these cells into human subjects. The researchers are actively recruiting 400 male and female hair loss sufferers to participate in the study. The donor dermal papilla cells will come from excess skin removed from patients undergoing facelift procedures at the National Taiwan University Hospital. These cells will be removed, isolated, cultured in a 3-D spherical model, and injected into the scalps of the 400 test patients. The research group hopes to be the first to see new follicle formation and human hair growth from 3-D cultured dermal papilla injection. There is no release date for the study thus far, and no indication that it will be replicated in countries with different regulations on stem cell testing. Regardless, definitely exciting news!
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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning

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