Platelet-derived growth factor signaling modulates adult hair follicle dermal stem cell maintenance and self-renewal

Abstract

Hair loss: The protein that signals regeneration Signals from a protein that regulates cell division are essential to maintain the stem cells that regenerate hair follicles. Jeff Biernaskie and colleagues at Canada’s University of Calgary found signals from platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) promote self-renewal of ‘hair follicle dermal stem cells’ (hfDSCs)—cells present at the bottom of hair follicles important for their regeneration. They ‘turned off’ the gene responsible for PDGF production in hfDSCs in mice. This led to a significant reduction in the stem cells with successive hair cycles. They also tested the effects of PDGF signaling molecules on isolated hfDSCs and found they improved their ability to proliferate and to induce follicle regeneration. The results suggest disruption to PDGF signaling may contribute to hair loss. PDGF could be an important additive to rapidly expand hfDSCs ex vivo for cell-based therapies.