Committed differentiation of hair follicle bulge cells into sebocytes: an in vitro study.

Background: Several studies have shown that hair follicle bugle cells can differentiate into hair follicles and contribute to the formation of the epidermis and sebaceous gland. Although many lines of evidence have suggested that the renewal and maintenance of the sebaceous gland depends on hair follicle bulge cells, direct evidence supporting the in vitro differentiation of follicle bulge cells into sebaceous gland cells has not been found.

Methods: Rat vibrissa follicle bulge cells were isolated, cultured, and transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFPC1) plasmids carrying the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 (PPARgamma2 ) gene.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in anagen dermal papilla by suppression subtractive hybridization.

Background: We constructed a cDNA subtractive library of dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in anagen with suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique and clone differentially expressed genes related to DPCs in anagen.

Methods: Total mRNA was isolated from DPCs of anagen and telogen follicles. Moreover, single-strand (ss) and double-strand (ds) cDNAs were synthesized in turn using SMART PCR cDNA synthesis technology.