Thymosin beta4 increases hair growth by activation of hair follicle stem cells

Philp D, Nguyen M, Scheremeta B, St-Surin S, Villa AM, Orgel A, Kleinman HK, Elkin M · The FASEB Journal

Tβ4 accelerated hair growth and increased migration and differentiation of bulge-region follicle stem cells; it also raised expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2, the same class of matrix-degrading enzyme it induces in chondrocytes.

Population

Normal rats and mice; isolated rat vibrissa follicle clonogenic keratinocytes

Intervention

Thymosin β4, systemic and in culture at nanomolar concentrations

Comparator

Untreated animals and cultures

Limitations

Rodent models; authors hold thymosin-related interests. The MMP induction is a mechanism of the benefit here and a mechanism of concern in cartilage — the difference is which matrix is being remodelled.