Finding a cure for baldness has become the holy grail for scientists the world over.
Now researchers in Orlando have come a step closer to a natural treatment after successfully growing new hair using human stem cells.
The breakthrough was achieved after coaxing stem cells to become dermal papilla cells – a special type of cell which is vital to follicle formation
Dermal papilla cells make up the top two layers of skin and they cause surrounding cells to form hair follicles. Hair loss occurs when papillae stop working.
Scientists have previously attempted isolating healthy dermal papillae from a hair follicle, putting them into a culture to increase their number, and placing the new papillae into the skin.
By using human stem cells, researchers were able to overcome the barrier, allowing hair to grow on the foot of an adult rat.
‘Our stem cell method provides an unlimited source of cells from the patient for transplantation and isn’t limited by the availability of existing hair follicles,’ said Professor Terskikh.
‘Our next step is to transplant human dermal papilla cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells back into human subjects,’ he added.
In the US, more than 40 million men and 21 million women are affected by hair loss.
Worldwide, that figure comes to 1.5 billion.
ON another front:
A researcher’s accidental discovery could pave the way for another baldness cure by harnessing the power of white blood cells.
The cancer expert was testing anti-inflammatory drugs on mice when she was surprised to discover they were growing extra fur, so investigated what was causing the phenomenon.
She discovered it was due to macrophages, which are derived from white blood cells called monocytes and are produced by the immune system to fight infections and clear up dead tissue.
According to Dr Mirna Perez-Moreno, who made the find at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre in Madrid, the macrophages activated nearby stem cells which are responsible for hair growth.
That means follicles could be encouraged to grow without the need for a hair transplant, which can cost upwards of $7,600 (£5,000).