HAIR FOLLICLE STEM-CELLS - CHARACTERISTICS AND POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE

All four of the principle dermal and epidermal cell types from the adu lt hair follicle (dermal papilla and sheath, germinative epidermal and outer root sheath) can now be grown in culture. The germinative epide rmal cells from the source of the hair fibre appear to be the most vis ually distinctive of these populations, but all four can be morphologi cally, synthetically and behaviourally distinguished from general inte rfollicular skin cells. The germinative population also most obviously exhibit many classical stem cell attributes, but the interactive and inductive capabilities of all of the cell types, in addition to their multipotential natures, highlights that they all share an intriguing l evel of developmental flexibility.