Access to complex in vitro models that recapitulate the unique markers and cell-cell interactions of the hair follicle is rather limited. Creation of scalable, affordable, and relevant in vitro systems which can provide predictive screens of cosmetic ingredients and therapeutic actives for hair health would be highly valued. In this study, we explore the features of the microfollicle, a human hair follicle organoid model based on the spatio-temporally defined co-culture of primary cells. The microfollicle provides a 3D differentiation platform for outer root sheath keratinocytes, dermal papilla fibroblasts, and melanocytes, via epidermal-mesenchymal-neuroectodermal cross-talk. For assay applications, microfollicle cultures were adapted to 96-well plates suitable for medium-throughput testing up to 21 days, and characterized for their spatial and lineage markers. The microfollicles showed hair-specific keratin expression in both early and late stages of cultivation. The gene expression profile of microfollicles was also compared with human clinical biopsy samples in response to the benchmark hair-growth compound, minoxidil. The gene expression changes in microfollicles showed up to 75% overlap with the corresponding gene expression signature observed in the clinical study. Based on our results, the cultivation of the microfollicle appears to be a practical tool for generating testable insights for hair follicle development and offers a complex model for pre-clinical substance testing.

获得概括毛囊的独特标记和细胞-细胞相互作用的复杂体外模型相当有限。创建可扩展、负担得起且相关的体外系统，该系统可以为头发健康提供化妆品成分和治疗活性物质的预测筛选，将受到高度重视。在这项研究中，我们探索了微毛囊的特征，这是一种基于原代细胞时空定义共培养的人类毛囊类器官模型。微毛囊通过表皮-间充质-神经外胚层交互作用为外根鞘角质形成细胞、真皮乳头成纤维细胞和黑色素细胞提供 3D 分化平台。对于测定应用，微滤泡培养物适用于 96 孔板，适用于长达 21 天的中等通量测试，并以其空间和谱系标记为特征。微毛囊在培养的早期和晚期都显示出头发特异性角蛋白表达。还将微毛囊的基因表达谱与人类临床活检样本进行比较，以响应基准毛发生长化合物米诺地尔。微毛囊中的基因表达变化与临床研究中观察到的相应基因表达特征有高达 75% 的重叠。根据我们的结果，微毛囊的培养似乎是为毛囊发育产生可测试见解的实用工具，并为临床前物质测试提供了一个复杂的模型。还将微毛囊的基因表达谱与人类临床活检样本进行比较，以响应基准毛发生长化合物米诺地尔。微毛囊中的基因表达变化与临床研究中观察到的相应基因表达特征有高达 75% 的重叠。根据我们的结果，微毛囊的培养似乎是为毛囊发育产生可测试见解的实用工具，并为临床前物质测试提供了一个复杂的模型。还将微毛囊的基因表达谱与人类临床活检样本进行比较，以响应基准毛发生长化合物米诺地尔。微毛囊中的基因表达变化与临床研究中观察到的相应基因表达特征有高达 75% 的重叠。根据我们的结果，微毛囊的培养似乎是为毛囊发育产生可测试见解的实用工具，并为临床前物质测试提供了一个复杂的模型。