Cultured dermal papilla cells induce follicle formation and hair growth by transdifferentiation of an adult epidermis

AJ Reynolds, CAB Jahoda - Development, 1992 - journals.biologists.com
AJ Reynolds, CAB Jahoda
Development, 1992journals.biologists.com
Adult rat pelage follicle dermal papilla cells induced follicle neogenesis and external hair
growth when associated with adult footpad skin epidermis. They thus demonstrated a
capacity to completely change the structural arrangement and gene expression of adult
epidermis-an ability previously undocumented for cultured adult cells. Isolation chambers
ensured that de novo follicle formation must have occurred by eliminating the possibility of
cellular contributions, and/or inductive influences, from local skin follicles. These findings …
Abstract
Adult rat pelage follicle dermal papilla cells induced follicle neogenesis and external hair growth when associated with adult footpad skin epidermis. They thus demonstrated a capacity to completely change the structural arrangement and gene expression of adult epidermis - an ability previously undocumented for cultured adult cells. Isolation chambers ensured that de novo follicle formation must have occurred by eliminating the possibility of cellular contributions, and/or inductive influences, from local skin follicles. These findings argue against previous suggestions of vibrissa follicle specificity, and imply that the potential for hair follicle induction may be common to all adult papilla cells.
journals.biologists.com