title: Follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience: A Web of Science-based literature analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify global research trends of follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies from 2002 to 2011 on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, using the key words follicle stem cell or melanocyte stem cell, and neural, neuro or nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  (a) peer-reviewed published articles on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, and their application in neuroscience, which were indexed in the Web of Science; (b) original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items.
  
  
  METHODS
  (a) articles that required manual searching or telephone access; (b) documents that were not published in the public domain; and (c) a number of corrected papers from the total number of articles.
  
  
  METHODS
  (1) Distribution of publications on follicle and melanocyte stem cells by years, journals, countries, institutions, institutions in China, and most cited papers. (2) Distribution of publications on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience by years, journals, countries, institutions, and most cited papers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 348 publications from 2002 to 2011 on follicle and melanocyte stem cells, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, more than half were from American authors and institutes. The most prolific institutions in China for publication of papers on follicle and melanocyte stem cells were the Fourth Military Medical University and Third Military Medical University. The most prolific journals for publication of papers on follicle and melanocyte stem cells were the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research. Of the 63 publications from 2002 to 2011 on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience, which were retrieved from the Web of Science, more than half were from American authors and institutes, and no papers were from Chinese authors and institutes. The most prolific journals for publication of papers on the application of follicle and melanocyte stem cells in neuroscience were the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our analysis of the literature and research trends, we found that follicle stem cells might offer further benefits in neural regenerative medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Jinzhou Central Hospital, Jinzhou 121001, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Weifu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
keywords: bibliometric; differentiation; follicle stem cell; glial cell; melanocyte stem cell; neural crest stem cell; neural regeneration; neuron; skin stem cell; skin-derived precursor