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Isolation and in vitro expansion of Lgr6-positive multipotent hair follicle stem cells

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Abstract

Hair follicles (HFs) are a well-known niche of multipotent stem cells. Recently, HF cells expressing leucine-rich orphan G protein-coupled receptors (Lgr) have been described as multipotent adult stem cells with a high potential for regenerative therapies. We have now established the conditions for the isolation and long-term expansion of stem cells from HFs (HFSCs) and analyzed their characteristics (reverse transcription with the polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry) and multipotent capacity (differentiation assays). HFSCs possess a high self-renewal capacity and share characteristics of putative HF epithelial stem cells, such as the expression of Lgr6, cytokeratins (Ck18, Ck19), and multipotent stem cell markers (Sca-1, Bcrp1, nestin, P75NTR). Under defined cell culture conditions, HFSCs are able to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages (adipocytes, chondrocytes, muscle cells) or neurons (βIII-tubulin). We report, for the first time, an in vitro culture method to isolate Lgr6-positive stem cells from HFs. HFSCs represent a unique tool for studying the cell characteristics of Lgr6-positive cells and should provide a novel easily accessible source for regenerative therapies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes Center, Medical Clinic Innenstadt, Ludwig Maximilian’s University Munich, Ziemssenstraße 1, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Miriam Nath, Monika Offers, Michaela Hummel & Jochen Seissler

Authors
  1. Miriam Nath
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  2. Monika Offers
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  3. Michaela Hummel
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  4. Jochen Seissler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jochen Seissler.

Additional information

This study was supported by grants from the BMBF (JS 01GN0523, 01GN0949) and the Research Program of the Ludwig Maximilian’s University, Munich (FöFoLe no. 519).

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Nath, M., Offers, M., Hummel, M. et al. Isolation and in vitro expansion of Lgr6-positive multipotent hair follicle stem cells. Cell Tissue Res 344, 435–444 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-011-1165-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-011-1165-y

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