OBJECTIVETo establish an in vitro culture model of single human hair follicle, and observe their morphological and histological changes.

METHODSHuman hair follicles were isolated from the volunteer patients. After dissecting follicles into single, follicles in growth phase were cultured in Williams E without any serum. This experiment included 3 groups: single follicle without sebaceous gland and other surrounding tissue (control group); single follicle with sebaceous gland and without the other surrounding tissue( experiment group A); single follicles with sebaceous gland and the other surrounding tissue (experiment group B). The survival rate, survival time, growth rate, multiplication capacity and apoptosis of cultured follicles and their morphological and histological changes were observed sequentially.

RESULTSThe hair follicles in experiment groups showed a better viability and a higher growth rate than those in control group. And the follicles in group B could keep growing for more than 25 days, which was longer than those in group A. Moreover, the sebaceous gland and the other surrounding tissue in group B showed great induction effect on follicle-cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONThe in vitro culture model of signal human hair follicles (single follicles including epidermis, sebaceous gland and the other surrounding tissue) had optimized internal environment which is similar to in vivo internal environment.