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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Generation of Integration-free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Hair-derived Keratinocytes
Published on: August 20, 2015
Generation of iPS-derived model cells for analyses of hair shaft differentiation
Takumi Kido1, Tomoatsu Horigome1, Minori Uda1
1Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 669-1337, Sanda, Japan.
Abstract:
Biological evaluation of hair growth/differentiation activity in vitro has been a formidable challenge, primarily due to the lack of relevant model cell systems. To solve this problem, we generated a stable model cell line in which successive differentiation via epidermal progenitors to hair components is easily inducible and traceable. Mouse induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cells were selected to stably express a tetracycline (Tet)-inducible bone morphogenic protein-4 (BMP4) expression cassette and a luciferase reporter driven by a hair-specific keratin 31 gene (krt31) promoter (Tet-BMP4-KRT31-Luc iPS). While Tet- BMP4-KRT31-Luc iPS cells could be maintained as stable iPS cells, the cells differentiated to produce luciferase luminescence in the presence of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) and doxycycline (Dox), and addition of a hair differentiation factor significantly increased luciferase fluorescence. Thus, this cell line may provide a reliable cell-based screening system to evaluate drug candidates for hair differentiation activity.
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