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Human Skin Cells Given Stem Cell Properties

17.06.2009 in HAIR LOSS SCIENCE

Amitabh Avasthi
for National Geographic News

November 20, 2007

Two teams of scientists have given human skin cells many of the properties of embryonic stem cells – a development that could ease political, ethical, and medical concerns over the highly controversial research topic.

Like embryonic stem cells, the new cells—known as induced pluripotent cells—are capable of developing into most types of cells in the body. But the new lines can be created without the use of an embryo.

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Such cells could conceivably also be custom-made for any adult, sidestepping issues of cell rejection.

“The advantage of using [such] reprogrammed skin cells is that any cells developed for therapeutic purposes can be customized to the patient,” James Thompson, who led one of the studies, said in a prepared statement.

“They are probably more clinically relevant than embryonic stem cells,” added Thompson, a biologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Embryonic stem cell work has long been mired in controversy. Such cells may lead to medical treatments such as tissue and organ replacement, but harvesting the cells typically requires the destruction of an embryo.

Since 2001 the United States government has restricted public funding to a limited number of embryonic stem cell lines, a move many U.S. scientists say has stifled their work.

Reprogramming Cells

The race to create induced pluripotent cells in humans began last year, when scientists at Kyoto University in Japan announced they had inserted genes into cells from the tails of mice and reprogrammed them into cells with properties of embryonic stem cells. (Related: “Mouse Testicles Yield Promising Stem Cells” [March 24, 2006].)

Thompson and his colleagues today announced they had finally translated the research to humans by using viruses to ferry four genes—OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and LIN28—into skin cells. The full findings appear in this week’s issue of the journal Science.

In a second study, appearing today in the journal Cell, the Kyoto team announced that they have also given human cells taken from skin and connective tissues stem cell properties.

Using the same technique as that of Thompson but with a slightly different combination of genes, the Japanese researchers report they were able to reprogram 10 cells out of every 50,000.

The Wisconsin team got one pluripotent cell for every 10,000 cells.

“We should now be able to generate patient- and disease-specific [induced pluripotent stem] cells and then make various cells, such as cardiac cells, liver cells, and neural cells,” team leader Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University said in a statement.

Good Alternative

Sidney Golub chairs the Human Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee at the University of California, Irvine.

In addition to alleviating concerns over embryonic stem cells, the new techniques may reduce the need to carry out somatic cell nuclear transfer, a controversial technique that uses harvested eggs to clone cells, he said.

Such a procedure is used to create animal clones, such as Dolly the sheep, and is being explored as a way to create human stem cell lines.

“This approach, if generally applicable, may be a good alternative to somatic cell nuclear transfer,” he said. “If it turns out to be a good alternative, obtaining donated human oocytes [eggs] may be less important for research progress.”

The advance, if it proves generally applicable, will allow the creation of cell lines that are genetically identical to an individual needing stem cell therapy, added Timothy Caulfield, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta.

This would eliminate the possibility of tissue rejection, one of several barriers still impeding the development of stem-cell-based medical treatments.

Caulfield said that the findings hold “tremendous amount of potential, but [applications] could be years and years away.

“There are many other issues to consider,” he added. “If these cells are truly pluripotent, could they form eggs and sperm? If so, what then?”

Funding Snag

The effect of the findings on federal funding is also debatable.

“It is not clear if this work would be eligible for federal funding under the restrictions put in place by President Bush in 2001, as the genes that were transferred were obtained from embryonic stem cells,” UC Irvine’s Golub said.

“Even if this work was eligible, President Bush’s recent veto of the bill containing the NIH appropriation means that little new federal funding will be available for any new research developments,” he added.

Caulfield also suggested that the research has a significant downside, because the pluripotent cells are not true stem cells and no one yet knows the true extent of their abilities.

“For those who want to receive federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, it could be a blow,” he said.

“This will allow those against the research, particularly politicians, to say that embryonic stem cell work is no longer necessary, so there is no need for federal funds. This, in my view, is a mistake.”

Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”

When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly, and or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Westminster Trichologist at our Hair Centre.

The point is that you are not getting to the real problem and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.

“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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Gray Hair Caused by Stress (Cell Stress, That Is)

17.06.2009 in HAIR LOSS FACTS

Christine Dell’Amore
National Geographic News

June 16, 2009

Work or personal stress may make you want to pull your hair out, but it’s cellular stress that actually turns it gray, a new study has found.

That’s because DNA is “under constant attack” by damaging agents, such as chemicals, ultraviolet light, and ionizing radiation, according to study lead author Emi Nishimura of Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

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A single mammal cell can encounter up to 100,000 events a day that damage DNA, Nishimura added in a statement.

The stem cells within hair follicles responsible for color are the most impacted by this irreparable DNA weathering.

Stem cells are cells in the body that can reproduce indefinitely and that have the potential to “mature” into other, more specialized cells. The stem cells in hair follicles mature into melanocytes, or cells that produce the pigment melanin.
In younger people, the hair’s stem cells maintain a balance between those that reproduce and those that turn into pigment cells, so that pigment is constantly being added to growing hair.

But as a person ages, too many of the stem cells mature until the pool of pigment cells gets totally drained and hair grows gray.

Scientists have been unsure what exactly spurs the stem cells to change. According to Nishimura, the answer may be accumulated DNA damage.

Forcing the cells to mature may be the body’s “more sophisticated way” of purging the damaged stem cells without killing them off, she said.

Unavoidable Damage

The study focused on graying because it is a typical sign of aging in mammals, the authors wrote.

The researchers put laboratory mice through whole-body x-rays and chemical injections.

When the team examined the mice’s hair follicles, they found that the stem cells showed permanent damage. These mice then regrew hair with no pigment.

The research supports the idea that instability in genes may be a major factor in aging, the authors say. It also lends credence to the theory that damage to stem cells may be the main driver of aging.

The DNA damage observed in the study is mainly “unavoidable,” the authors write.

Linzhao Cheng, a member of the Johns Hopkins Institute of Cell Engineering, agreed that it’s tough to avoid stem cell damage—especially for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, which exposes them to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

However, the study helps scientists understand graying, Cheng said by email, which may lead to new chemicals that can prevent the hair’s stem cells from switching roles.

“We may soon have anti-graying creams for aging populations,” he said.

The study appeared June 12 in the journal Cell.

Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”

When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly, and or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Westminster Trichologist at our Hair Centre.

The point is that you are not getting to the real problem and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.

“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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I HAVE HAIR LOSS. I WANT TO TREAT IT AND KEEP MY HAIR. THERE ARE SO MANY TREATMENTS THAT SAY THEY WORK. WHAT REALLY WORKS. WHAT SHALL I BUY?

15.06.2009 in HAIR LOSS PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS

confused-woman

Talk to any adult and chances are that he or she will admit to worrying about losing hair. The problem of falling hair can plague just about anyone at any point of time. And companies are aware of the huge market out there for products that help you keep your hair. Walk into any department store and every second hair product you pick up will claim its use will reduce hair loss and help grow a thick, healthy head of hair. But do all these products really work?

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That depends on why you are losing hair. It is natural for a person to lose, on an average, 100 hairs every day. These hairs are replaced naturally, but if that many hairs show up on your comb it can be worrisome. That does not mean, however, that you are suffering from hair loss. Hair loss means losing so many hairs a day that they cannot be replaced. This is normally a genetic problem.

Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”

When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly, and or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Westminster Trichologist at our Hair Centre.

The point is that you are not getting to the real problem and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.

“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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Grey hair is a sign of stress, say scientists. Grey hair really is a sign of too much stress in your life, according to new research.

12.06.2009 in HAIR LOSS FACTS, HAIR LOSS SCIENCE

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When the going gets tough, stem cells which produce colour in hair follicles are damaged, say scientists.

But the good news is that limiting the amount of stress can stop grey hairs growing.

Researchers have discovered that hair follicles can suffer the same kind of “genotoxic stress” that does damage to a body’s DNA.

Emi Nishimura, of Kanazawa University, the study’s team leader, said: “The DNA in cells is under constant attack by damaging agents such as mutagenic chemicals, ultraviolet light and radiation.

“It is estimated that a single cell in mammals can encounter approximately 100,000 DNA damaging events per day.”

Nishimura’s group traced the loss of hair colour to the gradual dying off of stem cells which ensure a continuous supply of new melanocytes, giving hair its youthful color.

Those specialized stem cells are not only lost, they also turn into different pigment cells and in the wrong place.

Further research on mice has shown that irreparable DNA damage, as caused by ionizing radiation, is responsible for greying hair.

The findings support previous research that unstable genes are a significant factor in ageing in general, the researchers said.

Loss of stem cells can also lead to to a decline in body tissue renewal and a speeding up of other ageing-related characteristics.

The researchers, writing in the science journal Cell, said: “In this study, we discovered that greying hair, the most obvious sign of ageing, can be caused by gene damage through stem cell differentiation.

“This suggests hair greying can be triggered by the accumulation of unavoidable DNA damage and DNA-damage response associated with ageing.”

Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”

When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly, and or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Westminster Trichologist at our Hair Centre.

The point is that you are not getting to the real problem and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.

“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

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WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS IN YOUNG WOMEN? THEY ARE MAINLY: ILLNESS, PREGNANCY AND POOR HAIR CARE.

11.06.2009 in FEMALE HAIR LOSS

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Illness

Your body has a way of telling you when something is wrong. This is not to say that all hair-loss experiences determine that you’re ill. You may be perfectly healthy. Nevertheless, hair loss and balding can and should be taken as a serious warning. You should consult your family doctor and see a trichologist and go for any necessary tests and procedures that they may recommend.

Did you know that hormonal imbalances can be the cause of your hair loss?

This is very correctible with medications. Your hair loss is very likely to stop once the problem is treated. Women’s thyroid glands, that are overactive or underactive, commonly [ warn ] the body of possible thyroid disease. The body will shed hair as a result of this [ warning. ] Since hair loss has been noted as a an early sign of many diseases, it’s important to find the cause so your trichologist can find a solution.

Pregnancy

Many women experience hair loss approximately two or three months after they’ve delivered their babies. This form of hair loss is directly related to hormones. During a woman’s pregnancy, high levels of specific hormones can cause the female body to retain hair that [ under normal circumstances ] would normally fall out. When a pregnant woman’s hormones return to pre-pregnancy hormone levels, that retained hair falls out. Although it may seem odd, it’s usually nothing to worry about, as the hair will grow back in a short period of time.

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Young Women

The most common cause of hair loss in teenage women is stress. Nevertheless, stress is not the only cause. Hair loss in young women can also be a warning sign of the following: Infection, poor hygiene habits, excessive dye in hair, medication intake, lupus, and or diabetes.

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Improper Care of Hair

Tight pony tails, pigtails, braids, cornrows, and curlers can cause a type of her loss known as Alopecia. If scarring occurs on the delicate skin on your scalp, your hair may never grow back. Scarring, unfortunately, results in permanent hair loss. How does this [ scarring ] occur, you may ask. Hot oil treatment, chemicals for perms, bleach, and metallic dyes may cause inflammation to the hair follicles on your scalp. These inflammations, which first appear as swelling, often turn into scars. The final result can be hair loss.

Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”

When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly, and or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Westminster Trichologist at our Hair Centre.

The point is that you are not getting to the real problem and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.

“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

no comment