Stem Cells Could Help With Baldness

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania found that when the skin of mice is wounded, the healing process that follows involves the epidermal cells acting as stem cells to generate new hair follicles. Their findings were published in the journal Nature.

While the wounding process brings back less hair than was before, the scientists found that by stimulating or stopping a gene in the mouse to produce different levels of a protein called wnt, which activates the hair regeneration process, they could control more or less hair growth.

It was previously thought that adult mammals are unable to grow new hair follicles. Scientists have long-suspected that hair follicles contained stem cells. However, it has proved difficult to isolate these cells in humans.

Even though the new hairs lack pigment, which means they are white hair, this preliminary study could lead to treatments for baldness, alopecia and even burnt victims in the future.

Source: DailyMail, 18 May 2007; BBC News, 14 March 2004

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