title: Stem Cell Markers (Cytokeratin 17 and Cytokeratin 19) in Scarring and Nonscarring Alopecia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alopecia is one of the most important hair follicle (HF) disorders, which is divided into scarring (cicatricial) and nonscarring (noncicatricial) types.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of stem cell (SC) markers such as cytokeratin (CK) 17 and CK19 in scarring and nonscarring alopecia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with scalp alopecia (15 with scarring alopecia and 15 without) together with ten healthy volunteers were included in this study. Biopsies were taken from all participants and stained for CK17 and CK19 using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant difference between the nonscarring group and the control group with regard to CK17 expression in the outer layers of the HFs (P= 0.00) and CK19 staining of the inner layers of the HFs (P= 0.008). There was a statistically significant difference between the scarring and the control groups regarding CK17 expression in the outer (P= 0.00) and the inner layers (P= 0.00) of the HFs and CK19 expression in the inner layers of the HFs (P= 0.00). CK17 expression in the outer layers (P= 0.02) and the inner layers of the HFs (P= 0.00) together with CK19 expression in the inner layers of the HFs (P= 0.00) showed statistically significant differences between scarring and nonscarring alopecia groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of SC markers (CK17 and CK19) in the HFs was affected in both scarring and nonscarring alopecia, but the defect in scarring alopecia is more evident than that of nonscarring alopecia. The persistence of SC markers in some types of scarring alopecia could give a hope for the recovery of these lesions. Further studies are recommended to clarify the benefit from using HF SCs in the treatment of alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El Sakka
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Abdel Wahed
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gaber
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asmaa Gaber
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Abdou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Moshira Abdel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wahed
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Benha University, Banha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed Abdel-Wahab
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebein Elkom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Walla
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shehata
keywords: Alopecia; cytokeratin; scarring; stem cell