Scientists have made a breakthrough in the fight against baldness

A group of scientists from Colombia has made a real breakthrough in the field of research on the problem of balding man. For the first time in history, they were able to achieve the growth of new human hair, without resorting to any transplants and other tricks.

The technique is based on the use of cells of the papillary layer of the human dermis (dermis - connective tissue of the skin, located between the epidermis and the underlying organs). It is the cells of the papillary layer of the dermis that form the fertile soil for the hair follicles. And although the idea of ​​using the features of these cells for growing hair was considered by scientists for 40 years, no one has been able to achieve particular success in this field.

Earlier, when trying to grow hair in papillary cells, scientists faced a single problem: these cells turned into ordinary skin cells and lost properties that are so important for growing hair. To the aid of scientists (for the umpteenth time!) Came the rodents. The papillary cells of the dermis of rodents are arranged differently than human cells, they seem to be molded together, which allows the cells to better exchange information with each other.

Based on the structure of rodent cells, the scientists managed to do the necessary manipulations with human cells, grouping them into unique 3D spheroids. Due to this, papillary cells acquire the desired direction of growth.

Experts took samples of cells from seven people, grew them in 3D spheroids and transplanted between the epidermis and the dermis into pieces of human skin, and that, in turn, was grafted on the back of laboratory mice. After a month and a half, new hair follicles formed in five of seven cases, which gave rise to the growth of new hair.

Of course, this all does not mean that someone will have to grow new hair on the back of the mice. Research is still at a very early stage and will go into a clinical trial only in a few months. After all, now researchers have to learn how to grow hair of the desired thickness, color and other indicators, so that they are exactly suitable for a particular patient.

Nevertheless, the Colombian scientists are very optimistic and now claim that as a result, baldness, as a medical ailment, will be finally and irrevocably defeated. So, who knows, maybe in 5-10 years the magic lotion for hair growth will really be sold in any pharmacy.

Based on gizmodo.com

The article is based on materials https://hi-news.ru/research-development/uchyonye-sovershili-proryv-v-borbe-s-oblyseniem.html.