Comparative Gene Expression Analysis of Nestin-Expressing Hair Follicle-Derived Cells

    June 2026 in “ Scientific Reports ”
    Mohammad Saied Salehi, Nahid Ashjazadeh, Yasaman Mohammadi, Nasrin Ghorbani, A. Ashayerizadeh, Mohammad Reza Jafarzadeh Shirazi, Robert M. Hoffman, Sareh Pandamooz
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    TLDR Nestin-expressing hair follicle cells may be useful for nerve repair and regeneration.
    The study investigates the gene expression profiles of nestin-expressing hair follicle-derived cells (NHFCs) and compares them to other stem/progenitor cell systems. NHFCs show significantly higher levels of neurotrophic factors like Bdnf, Ngf, and Vegf, suggesting strong neuroprotective properties. They also exhibit a unique expression pattern of neural differentiation markers, with lower Nes and higher Tubb3 levels, indicating a tendency towards neuronal maturation. The presence of both neuronal and glial markers highlights NHFCs' distinct differentiation potential, positioning them as promising candidates for neuroregenerative therapies and regenerative medicine.
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