%0 Journal Article
%T Hair Follicle Melanocyte Cells as a Renewable Source of Melanocytes for Culture and Transplantation
%A Kwon
%A Ho
%A Liu
%A Perry
%A Lew
%A Dae-Hyun
%A Nishimura
%A Emi
%J ePlasty: Open Access Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
%D 2008
%I Open Science Co.  LLC
%X Objective: Advances in melanocyte culture techniques have not yet led to reliable clinical methods for treating hypopigmentation disorders. We hypothesized that melanocytes harvested from plucked hair follicles may provide a renewable source of melanocytes for the treatment of hypopigmentation. Methods: Hairs with attached cells from the follicles were plucked from Yucatan pigs and implanted in a collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrix for either immediate or delayed implantation into full-thickness excisional porcine wounds. Wounds were allowed to heal and were biopsied at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Results: Fully healed wounds with transplanted hair follicles showed central areas of dark pigmentation corresponding to the location of implanted hair follicles. Corresponding collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrix wounds showed no central areas of pigmentation. Conclusions: Hair follicle--derived melanocytes may potentially serve as a renewable source of pigment-producing cells for treating hypopigmentation disorders.
%K Melanocyte transplantation
%K hypopigmentation treatment
%K hair-follicle melanocyte transplantation
%U http://www.eplasty.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=36&sect=5