TLDR Hair follicle stem cells are better than dental pulp stem cells at becoming insulin-producing cells, useful for diabetes therapy.
This study compared the differentiation potential of dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DP-MSCs) and hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HF-MSCs) into various cell types, including insulin-producing cells (IPCs). Both DP-MSCs and HF-MSCs showed similar potential for osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation. However, HF-MSCs demonstrated a superior ability to differentiate into IPCs, with higher C-peptide and insulin secretion and gene expression compared to DP-MSCs. This suggests that hair follicles could be a promising source for autologous stem cell therapy in diabetes, marking the first report of HF-MSCs' potential to generate IPCs. The study highlights the potential use of generated islet organoids for diabetic drug toxicity testing and screening.
8 citations
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July 2022 in “BMC neuroscience” Transplanted hair follicle stem cells improved brain function and reduced damage after a stroke in rats.
59 citations
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March 2020 in “Journal of Biomedical Science” Understanding how hair follicle stem cells work can help find new ways to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.
184 citations
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November 2014 in “Developmental Cell” Hair follicle dermal stem cells are key for regenerating parts of the hair follicle and determining hair type.
223 citations
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January 2014 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” The conclusion is that proper signaling is crucial for hair growth and development, and errors can lead to cancer or hair loss.
759 citations
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February 2009 in “Current Biology” Hair follicles are complex, dynamic mini-organs that help us understand cell growth, death, migration, and differentiation, as well as tissue regeneration and tumor biology.
4 citations
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March 2022 in “Pharmaceutics” Regenerative cellular therapies show promise for treating non-scarring hair loss but need more research.
May 2023 in “Cytotherapy” Hair follicle and adipose cell vesicles both protect neurons and reduce inflammation similarly.
October 2025 in “Gene Expression” Exosome therapy could be a promising new way to treat hair loss.
1 citations
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January 2022 in “Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity” Hair follicle stem cells can help treat ulcerative colitis in mice by releasing beneficial exosomes.
February 2024 in “Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open” Stem cell therapies show promise for hair regrowth in androgenetic alopecia.
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