Lab-made skin grows its own hair

Nature Podcast June 3, 2020
A team of researchers in the US (Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Indiana University, Stanford University) developed an organoid culture system that generates complex skin from human pluripotent stem cells. They used stepwise modulation of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathways to co-induce cranial epithelial cells and neural crest cells within a spherical cell aggregate. During an incubation period of 4–5 months, a cyst-like skin organoid composed of stratified epidermis, fat-rich dermis and pigmented hair follicles that are equipped with sebaceous glands emerged and a network of sensory neurons mimicking the neural circuitry associated with human touch emerged. The skin organoids form planar hair-bearing skin when grafted onto nude mice. The results demonstrate that nearly complete skin can self-assemble in vitro and be used to reconstitute skin in vivo. The skin organoids will provide a foundation for future studies of human skin development, disease modelling and reconstructive surgery…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE