Inventors: Cochran, Stephen A, Marshall, Bryan, Barrows, Thomas, Su, Yandong, Schlicher, Robyn
Assignee: Aderans Research Institute, Inc
Publication date: 2007-05-31
Invention summary:
Hair graft for implanting into wound in skin of subject, comprises plucked hair(s) having adhered epidermal stem cells and follicular dermal cells associated with epidermal stem cells
Abstract:
The present invention is a hair graft derived from a plucked hair comprising a plucked hair having adhered epidermal stem cells and associated follicular dermal cells. The present invention also includes methods of making a hair graft, methods of implanting a hair graft and methods of identifying inductive follicular dermal cells.
First Claim:
A hair graft comprising at least one plucked hair having adhered epidermal stem cells and follicular dermal cells associated with the epidermal stem cells
Background:
Hair loss may occur due to a variety of conditions and may affect anyone: men, women and children. Hair loss conditions include, but are not limited to, alopecia capitis totalis, i.e., loss of all scalp hair, alopecia universalis, i.e., loss of hair over the whole body, alopecia areata, i.e., patchy hair loss, and androgenetic alopecia, i.e., male pattern baldness. Medications are available to treat alopecia including minoxidil, finasteride, corticosteroids and anthralin. However, discontinuing use of the medication often stops any new hair growth resulting from the medication because the medication does not cause new follicles to be produced.
More aggressive hair restoration methods include hair transplants and scalp reduction surgery. Hair transplantation entails excision of a full-thickness strip of scalp tissue from the back of the head and carefully dissecting it into hundreds of “follicular unit grafts,” each containing one to several hairs and implanting the grafts into the bald sections of the scalp where an equal number of recipient sites have been created by making stab wounds with a pointed blade. Hair transplantation creates no new hair follicles and often not all of the explanted follicles successfully transplant. Scalp reduction surgery, which is becoming less popular, aims to surgically reduce the area of bald skin on subject's head. Both hair transplantation and scalp reduction surgery are expensive and may be painful. Moreover, both carry possible risks of infection and scarring.
It is well known that specific cells within the hair follicle, including epidermal stem cells and dermal papilla cells, have the capacity to induce follicle neogenesis i.e., new follicle formation. Attempts have been made to exploit the inductive capabilities of these cells, including injecting follicular dermal cells directly into the skin and implanting plucked hairs carrying epithelial cells having various proliferative and differentiative characteristics. These previous attempts at producing follicle neogenesis have failed to produce reliable, reproducible and cosmetically satisfactory results.
Summary:
The present invention relates to a hair graft derived from at least one plucked hair and methods of implanting the hair graft. The graft of the present invention suitably comprises at least one plucked hair from a subject. The at least one plucked hair has adhered epidermal stem cells derived from the hair follicle from which the hair was plucked, and follicular dermal cells are associated with the adhered epidermal stem cells.
Suitably, the hair graft may be contained within a bioabsorbable scaffold. Further, the bioabsorbable scaffold may have moieties associated with the scaffold that facilitate or enhance the growth of new hair. The bioabsorbable scaffold of the hair graft may be a hollow filament. The hollow filament may contain a protectant contained within the inner lumen of the hollow filament.
In another embodiment the invention provides a method of making a hair graft. The hair graft suitably comprises at least one plucked hair having adhered epidermal stem cells and follicular dermal cells associated with the epidermal stem cells. The hair graft may be contained within a bioabsorbable scaffold.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a method of implanting a hair graft by creating a wound in skin of a subject and implanting a plucked hair graft having adhered epidermal stem cells and follicular dermal cells associated with the epidermal stem cells. The hair graft may be implanted while contained in a bioabsorbable scaffold. Further, the hair graft suitably may be implanted in a wound containing a protectant.
In an additional embodiment, the present invention provides a method of implanting a hair graft using a hypodermic needle and syringe. Suitably, the syringe may be loaded with a protectant. The hair graft and protectant may suitably be injected into a subject.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for identifying inductive follicular dermal cells comprising incubating at least one plucked hair having adhered epidermal stem cells with follicular dermal cells. The method may be used to test a plurality of cells and select a sub-population of cells capable of inducing follicular neogenesis. The cells of the sub-population may be capable of inducing follicular neogenesis alone or in conjunction with other cell types. The self-selected sub-population may be multiplied.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. |
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