Q: I just read a press release saying that researchers have developed a successful technique to clone hair by using a wound healing powder. To paraphrase, the press release says:
MatriStem MicroMatrix, a product of regenerative medicine, ACell, Inc., is a wound healing powder that promotes healing and tissue growth and has now proven to help regenerate hair in the donor and recipient regions of hair transplant patients. While intended to heal ulcers and burns, Gary Hitzig, M.D. and Jerry Cooley, M.D., have found that its properties offer a broader scope of treatment, including hair cloning. “We’ve made amazing breakthroughs using MatriStem as a hair cloning tool,” said Dr. Hitzig. “We’ve been able to multiply the number of hair follicles growing in the recipient area, and as an added benefit are seeing faster hair growth. This new hair cloning technique also makes hair transplantation surgery less invasive.”
Is this new technique really a breakthrough in hair cloning? And if so, when can we start cloning hair?
A: It appears from preliminary studies that plucked hairs stimulated by ACell are in some cases able to regenerate new hair. Because the hair is placed into the recipient area and is partially derived from cells in the dermis, it is not yet clear whether the hair will be effected by androgens over time or if it will continue to bald.
The research so far is promising and a number of doctors are doing research in this area, including Dr. Schweiger and myself at Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration.
For more on the topic, visit our Hair Cloning section, our page on ACell extracellular matrix devices, and other hair cloning posts on the Hair Transplant Blog.
Rating:
5.00 stars from 1 vote(s)Topic: Hair Cloning
Tags: ACell Inc., Dr. Gary Hitzig, Dr. Jerry Cooley, Hair Cloning, Hair Cloning Methods, Hair Follicle, Hair Growth, Hair Multiplication, Hair Regeneration, Hair Transplantation, MatriStem MicroMatrix, Recipient Sites, Wound Healing Powder
Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at 11:06 am
Hi Dr. Bernstein and thank you for your effort on this new hair cloning technology. I was just wondering to know if what I am thinking is a possible answer to the question: “if cloned hair will go bald” and my thoughts is that ok if the hair is borrowed/plucked from a donor area which is not effected by DHT hormones, then wouldnt the cells in that hair follicle reprogram the cells which are dysfunctioning in the receipint area where people go bald. I mean shouldnt we work on training those dysfunctioning cells to adopt and behaive in the way that the cells from plucked hair are?
please respond.
Dr. Bernstein: Yes, that is, in fact, one avenue of research in treating baldness via hair cloning/multiplication. Our blog post “Research Points to Decreased “Progenitor” Stem Cells as Cause of Male Pattern Baldness” goes into this topic in more detail. Preventing the cells from becoming dysfunctional — or susceptible to the factors that cause miniaturization of follicles — in the first place is an exciting area of research that we are monitoring.