Korean J Dermatol.  1998 Dec;36(6):1032-1036.

Effects of Alopecia Areata Serum on Proliferation of Cultured Dermal Papilla Cells

• Lee SJ
• Cho YH
• Sim WY
• Haw CR

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dermal papilla cells, which are mesenchymal components of the hair bulb are considered to play an important role in the regulation of hair growth by production of diffusible factors that stimulate follicular epithelial cells. Degenerative changes in the dermal papilla cells in the involved scalp of alopecia areata cases indicate that these cells are one of the important targets in this disease.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effects of serum from alopecia areata patients on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. METHOD: Dermal papilla cells and fibroblasts from normal human scalp were cultured in DMEM media with 10% or 20% of normal and alopecia areata serum for 48hrs and 96hrs. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counts and [3H]-thymidine incorpoartion.
RESULTS
Both 10% and 20% alopecia areata serum had no significant effects on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and fibroblasts after 48hrs and 96hrs.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that there are no serum factors that inhibit the proliferation of dermal papilla cells.

Keyword

Dermal papilla cells; Alopecia areata serum

MeSH Terms

Alopecia Areata*
Alopecia*
Cell Count
Cell Proliferation
Epithelial Cells
Fibroblasts
Hair
Humans
Scalp