Human hair follicles: Bulging with neural crest-like stem cells

Abstract

Several studies have reported the existence of precursor cells residing within various adult tissues that appear to either retain or recapitulate features of neural crest stem cells (NCSCs). In rodents, unique populations of both epidermal and dermal cells, resident within hair follicles, exhibit such characteristics, although the existence of equivalent NCSC-like cells in human tissues has remained uncertain. In this issue, Yu et al. show that NCSC-like cells also reside within the bulge region of adult human hair follicles. © 2010 The Society for Investigative Dermatology.