title: Induced pluripotent stem cells from human hair follicle keratinocytes as a potential source forin vitrohair follicle cloning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human hair follicles are important for the renewal of new hairs and their development. The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from hair follicles is easy due to its accessibility and availability. The pluripotent cells derived from hair follicles not only have a higher tendency to re-differentiate into hair follicles, but are also more suited for growth in hair scalp tissue microenvironment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, human hair follicular keratinocytes were used to generate iPSCs, which were then further differentiatedin vitrointo keratinocytes. The derived iPSCs were characterised by using immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and reverse-transcription PCR to check for its pluripotency markers expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The iPSC clones expressed pluripotency markers such as TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, SSEA4, OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, LEFTY, and GABRB. The well-formed three germ layers were observed during differentiation using iPSCs derived from hair follicles. The successful formation of keratioctyes from iPSCs was confirmed by the expression of cytokeratin 14 marker.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hair follicles represent a valuable keratinocytes source forin vitrohair cloning for use in treating hair balding or grafting in burn patients. Our significant findings in this report proved that hair follicles could be used to produce pluripotent stem cells and suggested that the genetic and micro-environmental elements of hair follicles might trigger higher and more efficient hair follicles re-differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bandar Sungai Long , Selangor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sheng Jye
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bandar Sungai Long , Selangor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shu Cheow
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Pooi Ling
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bandar Sungai Long , Selangor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kian Lee
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bandar Sungai Long , Selangor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Alan H K
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bandar Sungai Long , Selangor , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Seng Chiew
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gan
keywords: HHFK; Induced pluripotent stem cell; Keratinocytes; Re-differentiation