The Patch Assay Reconstitutes Mature Hair Follicles by Culture-Expanded Human Cells

Abstract

Aim: We tested whether the a simple injection known as the patch assay could reconstitute mature hair follicles by culture-expanded human cells and explored whether the assay could reflect the trichogenicity of cultured cells. Materials & methods: Dissociated culture-expanded fetal or adult scalp dermal cells combined with foreskin keratinocytes were subcutaneously injected into the back skin of immunosuppressive mice to form the patch skin. The patches were collected and characterized and were analyzed for hair formation efficiency. Results: Using culture-expanded human fetal cells, the patch assay can efficiently reconstitute mature hair follicles and the efficiency of hair formation in the patch assay correlates with cell trichogenicity. Conclusion: The patch assay has the potential for testing the trichogenicity of human cells.

Keywords::

• culture-expanded cells
• hair regeneration
• human hair
• patch assay
• skin
• wound healing

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2217/rme-2017-0017

Acknowledgements

X Wu designed the experiments. Q Zhang, T Zu, Q Zhou, J Wen, X Leng and X Wu conducted the experiments. Q Zhang and X Wu analyzed the data and X Wu wrote the manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported from The National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0104600) and General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (81572681), Science and Technology Development Program of Suzhou (ZXY201441) and Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20161241). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors confirm that this study was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the School of Stomatology, Shandong University (Number 2015120401; date: 12 May 2015).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported from The National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0104600) and General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (81572681), Science and Technology Development Program of Suzhou (ZXY201441) and Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20161241). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.