Inspired by long-haired nevus, the researchers found that osteopontin stimulates hair growth

CTOnews.com, July 23 (Xinhua)-- researchers at the University of California have made a major discovery in hair growth research, which may pave the way for future drug development, according to a press release from Amplifica Holdings Group, a San Diego biopharmaceutical company. The findings were published last month in the journal Nature.

The researchers found that a molecule called osteopontin, which is associated with hair growth rate, is high in hairy nevus and stimulates hair follicle stem cells when injected into the skin. When researchers apply a certain dose of osteopontin to skin grafts of human hair follicles, it can promote hair growth.

Dr Maxim Prikus, chief scientific officer of Amplifica Holdings and professor of developmental and cellular biology at the University of California, Irvine, said the study was inspired by "nature's own experiments". "millions of people have moles of all sizes that grow hair, so the increased molecules in such human skin moles may reveal the answer to hair stem cell stimulation."

"there are some treatments for hair loss, but there are no solutions," Dr. Prikus said. This study points to a potential real solution to hair loss that doctors and patients have been looking for. "

He points out that the reason behind hair loss is complex. "hair loss is caused by a decrease in the necessary signal proteins that stimulate hair stem cells in the hair follicles, and for common forms of hair loss, hair stem cells remain dormant for a long time." even though they're intact. "

Dr. Prikus said that an effective strategy for fighting hair loss is to inject signal proteins into the scalp to activate dormant hair stem cells, a common method in medical cosmetology. "previous hair studies have recognized that this method may be very effective, but it is not clear which signaling proteins are good candidates for human hair stem cell stimulation."

The discovery of osteopontin as a hair growth stimulant is the result of a decade of research, he said. While the Amplifica team is excited about finding a treatment for men and women, Prikus stressed that more clinical studies are needed to further evaluate these findings in humans.

CTOnews.com learned from an official press release that preliminary studies of Amplifica will begin this summer, focusing on the "safety and tolerance" of osteopontin.