Scientists have discovered a new way to grow functional hair follicles in the lab, capable of naturally growing and connecting with surrounding tissues, marking a significant step towards finding a treatment for hair loss and baldness.
This advancement was achieved by a team of scientists in the United States and Japan, who identified a type of cells that supports hair regeneration and stimulates the growth of complete follicles. For the first time, it has become possible to produce working hair follicles in the lab, rather than needing to implant them in an animal body to function.
The "basic" hair follicle begins with epithelial stem cells that produce the hair itself, and dermal papilla cells that send growth signals. However, previous experiments using only these two types did not succeed in making the follicles grow or connect fully with the tissues in the lab.
Here, the role of the third type of cells, the connective tissue fibroblasts, which provide support and structure around the follicle, particularly in the "bulge" area that is the center of hair growth.
Scientists found that introducing this type of cells in the early stages of follicle formation is enough to stimulate their growth and connection with the tissues in the lab.
The research team hopes to clarify the precise role of these cells in the future and study how they affect the hair growth cycle in the living body, paving the way to develop treatments that can be used in humans.
Yoshio Shimo, CEO of "Organ Tech", which contributed to funding the research, said: "This work outlines the fundamental structure necessary for the functional regeneration of hair follicles," adding that the results enhance broader strategies in regenerative medicine for naturally and stably rebuilding tissues.
The lab-grown hair can also be used to study hair growth and assess new treatments, without the need for animal or human trials.
The study was published in the Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications journal.
