Comparisons of mouse models for hair follicle reconstitution.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2011

Keywords

Animals, Animals, Newborn, Cell Count, Cell Transplantation, Cells, Cultured, Cryopreservation, Dermis, Female, Fibroblasts, Hair, Hair Follicle, Keratinocytes, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Inbred C3H, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Nude, Mice, Transgenic, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Models, Animal, Surgical Flaps

JAX Source

Exp Dermatol 2011 Dec; 20(12):1011-1037

PMID

21991944

Volume

20

Issue

12

First Page

1011

Last Page

1015

ISSN

1600-0625

Abstract

Three methods are currently available to reconstitute hair follicles in mice. Direct comparisons have yet to be made to determine which method is most efficient. In this study, mouse epithelial cells (MECs) and mouse dermal cells (MDCs) were grafted onto the dorsal skin of nude mice using the chamber, flap or patch assays. Comparisons were made based on gross, scanning electron microscopic and histological observations. MDCs alone induced hair follicle reconstitution with the production of hairs yielding false-positive results caused by contamination by hair follicle remnants. Neither primary MECs nor cultured MDCs alone formed hair follicles but did result in hair follicle formation when mixed together. Frozen MECs or MDCs resulted in decreased hair follicle-inductive activity but could still regenerate hairs. The hair patch assay was the quickest model (20±3 days) to determine whether cell mixtures would reconstitute hair follicles that produce hairs; however, the hair follicles were randomly orientated and often associated with foreign body granulomas. The flap assay took the longest time (29±2 days) to produce follicles and hairs to develop with a clinically natural appearance, but an epidermal sheet was needed. The chamber assay was the most labour-intensive and cell number-dependent procedure but follicles developed in a dense, clinically normal manner.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS