A Hair-Follicle Reconstructed In Vitro Immunocompetent Skin Model for Prediction of the Sensitizing Potential of Chemicals

The study presents an advanced in vitro skin model, ImmuSkin-MT, developed from hair follicle-derived cells and enriched with Langerhans cells and T-lymphocytes, to predict the sensitizing potential of chemicals. This model mimics the interaction between skin-resident immune cells and T-cells, marking a significant advancement in toxicology. It effectively differentiates between extreme, moderate, and weak sensitizers by demonstrating MoLC migration and CD86 expression upregulation, alongside increased CD4⁺ T-lymphocyte proliferation in response to sensitizers. ImmuSkin-MT shows promise for mechanistic studies and regulatory applications in skin sensitization assessment.