How Are Hair Cloning, Hair Multiplication, and Follicular Neogeneis Different?

How Are Hair Cloning, Hair Multiplication, and Follicular Neogeneis Different?

Q: What is the difference between hair cloning, hair multiplication, and follicular neogeneis? I have read about these terms on the internet and am completely confused.

A: Cloning generally refers to the multiplication of fetal stem cells or embryonic tissues. “Hair cloning”, as the term is generally used, involves the multiplication of adult tissue cells that are used to induce the formation of new hair, so the term is not exactly accurate.

“Hair multiplication” refers to the multiplication of adult hair structures. This model is not actively being pursued since the hair follicle is too complex to be simply cultured in a tube. Instead individual cells called fibroblasts are removed from the scalp multiplied in tissue culture and then these are injected back into the scalp in the hope that they will induce intact follicles to form.

“Follicular neogeneis” is probably the best of these terms, as it describes the formation of new follicles derived from inducer cells that are cultured and then injected into the scalp. It is the preferred term of Ken Washenik at Aderans. Interctyex uses the term “follicular cell regeneration” for its technology.

Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D.

What is Difference in Hair Cloning Techniques Studied by Aderans and Intercytex?

Q: I know that both Aderans and Intercytex are doing research with cloning hair. Is there any difference in their approaches?

A: Aderans is using the “two-cell” approach. They feel that the best way to produce viable hair follicles is to use a combination of inducer cells and responder cells. Each would be multiplied separately and then injected together into the skin. The inducer cells are follicular fibroblasts and lie at the base of the hair follicle. The responder cells are keratinocytes. They feel that the combination of cells will have the best chance of producing clinically useful hair.

Intercytex prefers a one-cell approach. Their researchers feel that when the cultured inducer fibroblasts are injected into the skin there will be enough existing cells in the skin to produce a cosmetically viable hair. In their experimentation, Intercytex uses a new animal model, termed the “flap graft” model, that involves the implantation of cultured dermal papilla cells with keratinocytes placed under a flap on the back of hairless mice. Later the flap is exteriorized (turned over), allowing the hair to grow normally. Exactly how this will be applied to clinical use in humans is not clear.

A completely different view is held Dr. Ralf Paus at the University of Luebeck in Germany. He feels that there are already enough stem cells in the bald scalp and that the key to hair re-growth is to target key elements in the hair cycle. He feels that topically applied inhibitors of catagen (the resting phase of the hair cycle), exogen (the formation of an empty hair follicle), or inhibitors of the terminal-to-vellus transformation (the process of a hair shrinking in size under the influence of DHT and referred to as miniaturization) will the most effective way to go.

Finasteride and dutasteride are drugs that work in this way, but are clearly not very effective in stimulating new growth. He also feels that an anagen inducer, along the lines of a minoxidil-type medication has a better chance of success then the stem cell targeting strategies described above. In these cases one would, in a sense, rejuvenate dormant hair follicles rather than induce new ones to grow.

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Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D.

What Did Dr. Jahoda’s Hair Cloning Research Show?

Q: I have heard that Dr. Jahoda was able to clone hair. Is that true? — M.T., Cincinnati, OH

A: Possibly the most interesting work related to cloning hair was done by Colon Jahoda in England over a decade ago. Dr. Jahoda’s work is significant because he identified an inducer cell — i.e. fibroblasts in the outer portion of the hair follicle (the outer root sheath) — that can stimulate the skin to produce new hair. It is well known that fibroblasts, unlike many other tissue cells, are relatively easy to culture.

Theoretically, a patient’s fibroblasts could be removed from the sheaths of just a few follicles and then cultured to produce thousands of follicles. These fibroblasts could then be injected back into the scalp to induce thousands of new hair follicles to grow.

In the study, fibroblasts from a man were injected into the forearm of genetically unrelated women. The cross-gender aspect of his experiment has received much publicity and is potentially of great importance to burn victims, but has little relevance to hair transplantation for male pattern baldness. Patients would probably benefit most from using their own cultured fibroblasts for the best match.

So far this important single study has not been reproduced.

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Posted by Robert M. Bernstein M.D.