The Autologous Hair Follicle And Its Secretome: A Multipotent Source For Cell-Based And Cell-Free Regenerative Therapies

May 2026 in “ International Journal of Molecular Sciences ”

Muneera Fayyad, Amatullah Fatehi, Sharon Samuel, Duhyun Han, Arpita Sathyanarayanan, Kendal Christie, Nazish Ahmed, Ian M. Rogers, Drew W. Taylor

autologous hair follicle secretome keratinocytes mesenchymal stem cells MSCs induced pluripotent stem cells iPSCs HF-MSCs cytokines exosomes regenerative medicine wound-healing stem cells plucked hair follicles cell-based therapies cell-free therapies personalized medicine

TLDR Plucked hair follicles can be used for regenerative therapies and personalized medicine.

This study explores the potential of plucked hair follicles as a non-invasive source for regenerative medicine. Researchers successfully isolated and expanded keratinocytes and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from these follicles using an enzyme-free method. The keratinocytes were reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and directed towards specific cell fates, demonstrating their regenerative capacity. HF-MSCs showed mesenchymal characteristics and could differentiate into various cell types, including neural progenitors. The autologous hair follicle secretome (aHFS) was rich in regenerative cytokines and exosomes, showing strong wound-healing properties in vitro. These findings suggest that plucked hair follicles are a practical and scalable source for cell-based and cell-free therapies, emphasizing their potential in personalized medicine.

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The secretions of mesenchymal stem cells could be used for healing without using the cells themselves.

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