摘要
Hair follicle stem cells(HFSCs) normally give rise to keratinocytes, sebocytes, and transient amplifying progenitor cells. Along with the capacity to proliferate rapidly, HFSCs provide the basis for establishing a putative source of stem cells for cell therapy. HFSCs are multipotent stem cells originating from the bulge area. The importance of these cells arises from two important characteristics, distinguishing them from all other adult stem cells. First, they are accessible and proliferate for long periods. Second, they are multipotent, possessing the ability to differentiate into mesodermal and ectodermal cell types. In addition to a developmental capacity in vitro, HFSCs display an ability to form differentiated cells in vivo. During the last two decades, numerous studies have led to the development of an appropriate culture condition for producing various cell lineages from HFSCs. Therefore, these stem cells are considered as a novel source for cell therapy of a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. This review presents the current status of human, rat, and mouse HFSCs from both the cellular and molecular biology and cell therapy perspectives. The first section of this review highlights the importance of HFSCs and in vitro differentiation, while the final section emphasizes the significance of cell differentiation in vivo.
Hair follicle stem cells （HFSCs） normally give rise tokeratinocytes, sebocytes, and transient amplifyingprogenitor cells. Along with the capacity to proliferaterapidly, HFSCs provide the basis for establishing aputative source of stem cells for cell therapy. HFSCs aremultipotent stem cells originating from the bulge area.The importance of these cells arises from two importantcharacteristics, distinguishing them from all other adultstem cells. First, they are accessible and proliferate forlong periods. Second, they are multipotent, possessingthe ability to differentiate into mesodermal andectodermal cell types. In addition to a developmentalcapacity in vitro , HFSCs display an ability to formdifferentiated cells in vivo . During the last two decades,numerous studies have led to the development of anappropriate culture condition for producing various celllineages from HFSCs. Therefore, these stem cells areconsidered as a novel source for cell therapy of a broadspectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. This reviewpresents the current status of human, rat, and mouseHFSCs from both the cellular and molecular biologyand cell therapy perspectives. The first section of thisreview highlights the importance of HFSCs and in vitrodifferentiation, while the final section emphasizes thesignificance of cell differentiation in vivo .
