Junji Fukuda and Hair Regeneration

I have covered hair regeneration research by Yokohama University’s Dr. Junji Fukuda a few times in the past. He is highly respected in the world of hair loss research.

Junji Fukuda: Preparation of Hair Follicle Germs

Last month, Dr. Junji Fukuda and his team published a groundbreaking new study titled: “Preparation of hair beads and hair follicle germs for regenerative medicine“.  The team managed to generate new hair follicles from stem cells in far higher quantities than ever before in mice. This news was widely covered, including in today’s Guardian newspaper.

The researchers’ approach entailed use of a collagen gel in combination with spheroids formed from epithelial cells. This resulted in something called bead-based hair follicle germs (bbHFGs). These germs generated hairs more efficiently than previous approaches. A hair-raising protocol per one headline.

The success of this approach will potentially lead to the preparation of microtissues with high trichogenic ability upon transplantation. A key necessity in future hair follicle germ creation and transplantation from stem cells in humans.

Past research from Dr. Fukuda is here. The researchers next step is to “find a way to expand the number of hair follicle stem cells“.

The below post on earlier work from Dr. Fukuda was written in February 2018.

Large-Scale Production of Hair Follicle Germs

I have covered Dr. Junji Fukuda and the Fukuda Lab several times on this blog in the past. Their important hair related research takes place at Yokohama National University in Japan. Most recently, this was just two weeks ago in relation to their latest paper titled: “Spontaneous hair follicle germ (HFG) formation in vitro, enabling the large-scale production of HFGs for regenerative medicine“. It was published towards the end of 2017, but seems to now be dated as 2018.

Junji Fukuda: Hair Follicle Germs (HFGs) Preparation.
Junji Fukuda: Hair Follicle Germs (HFGs) Preparation.

At the time, I decided that this development was only worth a cursory mention in my once a month “brief items of interest” post. My decision was clouded by the fact that this research only entailed work on mice (see bottom part of image on left, courtesy Yokohama National University). We are all a bit bored/tired/frustrated with that of course.

However, earlier today, Dr. Fukuda and his team’s work was covered in the Science Daily publication. Key quote from Dr. Fukuda:

“This simple method is very robust and promising. We hope that this technique will improve human hair regenerative therapy to treat hair loss such as androgenic alopecia,” adds Fukuda. “In fact, we have preliminary data that suggests human HFG formation using human keratinocytes and dermal papilla cells.”

Perhaps this really might end up being a major development, even in humans.

Tsuji, Shiseido, Ohyama and perhaps now Fukuda? I have never been to Japan, but it looks like this may change in the future.

37 thoughts on “Junji Fukuda and Hair Regeneration”

  1. Two posts today. Please keep your comments related to the energy and metabolism subject matter limited to the prior post.

  2. Man I hate being uneducated. What’s the difference between tsuji ohyama terskikh and fukuda? I hear germ and think its all the same thing … Are they working on separate patents or ?

      1. @ H. Besides funding, I’m not even bothering listening to news on potential hairloss treatments from the US or Europe anymore, since it would take 10+ years for them to be market launched thanks to our brilliant FDA approvals. Too bad Trump isn’t speeding it up since he has hair issues himself, even balding liberals would give him a vote if he changed the legislation to cure hairloss:D simply said, it’s Japan or nothing in the nearer future

        1. I wouldn’t vote for “Individual One” even if he bought me back to an NW1. I’m sure like everything else “he alone” can cure hairloss being the “stable genius” that he is.

            1. Red and JayRed…like dumb and dumber. Trump did say, and I quote “I love the poorly educated”. I wonder why? Actually, unfortunately I don’t.

  3. Dr Fukuda used murine embryonic stem cells, which means he’s a few steps behind Tsuji, which means his deed won’t be out before Organ Germ Technology, if both will be out whatsoever.

  4. Goodbye to baldness. New technology gives you hope.

    A team of Japanese researchers has succeeded in developing new technology that can produce new hair rejuvenation tissues, which may play an important role in the development of treatments for future hair loss.
    The regenerative medicine branch of hair involves the renewal of hair follicles by means of small devices that promote hair growth and maintain it as a new treatment to combat the problem of baldness.
    However, it is difficult to set up germs for hair follicles – the reproductive source of hair follicle – widely, according to researchers at the University of Tokyo University School of Medicine. The technique of the preparation of germs of hair follicles depends on the implantation of the bulbs by transplanting a germ that promotes the efficiency of hair follicles.

    As a result, the team successfully prepared up to 5,000 germs for hair follicles simultaneously. They reported new hair growth after transplantation of these bacteria into a number of experimental mice.
    Dr Junji Fukuda, a professor of dermatology at Yokohama National University in Japan, said the bacteria are an important key to the production of large amounts of natural substances that stimulate the return of hair follicles back to activity and hair growth.

  5. Looks interesting however I could use some good news about a treatment that is potentially within 3 years of release….what ever happened to Samumed?? They seem to have vanished after completing phase 2.

    1. Hey Tom I am wondering the same thing about Samumed. They were breezing through trials and then they stopped after phase 2b. Either they hyped the results for publicity or they are secretly in phase 3 for a surprise release. I’m leaning towards the hyped results. Even if it was just maintenance I would be happy with that result. Beats fin and min.

    1. Thanks, its from August last year. There was a lot of coverage about them at the time. See my first post on them from last year for other links. A few months later, they expanded their Utah site signficantly and were in the news again. Fingers crossed for this year.

  6. Good stuff! That would be awesome if they came out with a legit Hair TE solution. Maybe the next treatment will come out of nowhere like PolarityTE. As Paul phoenix mentions is HairTE a real thing?

    Egghead- What is PolarityTE stock ticket symbol. I think there was another company similar to it. Want to be sure I am looking at the right company…

    1. I am guessing that the symbol is in at least 3 PolarityTE posts on this blog in which you commented MJones. Maybe you can search and let me know if I am a good guesser?

      It is also there in google, but I prefer you search here rather than there.

      1. Found it COOL. Yeah there was some confusion in one of your posts about the polarity, polaryte…just wanted to double check with egghead since he is good with stocks.

        1. Which post had a confusion MJones? You need to correct me asap if a post has a major error!

          Excellent work finding the acronym.

  7. Can’t believe this news isn’t getting a huge amount of attention. The method is so simple and the last paragraph suggests that they can use the same culture vessel for human cells rather than embryonic ones to treat Androgenic Alopecia.

    1. It got a massive massive amount of attention in the past two days. In the form of McDonald’s french fries. 1000s of articles on this now.

  8. Histogen … can we please talk about Histogen?
    I really dont get it. Wasnt HSC in Phase 3 already?
    Now Pipeline Shows HSC (now called HST 001) in Phase 1b.
    But interestingly a product called CCM Cosmetics shows as “Marketed” with Allergan and Hydrafacial. What is this Cosmetic for Hair Growth? Where and when can I get it?

    “soluble multipotent cell conditioned media (CCM) that is the starting material for products for hair growth, skin care and other applications”

    http://www.histogen.com/technology/#development-pipeline

  9. Start Testing On Humans! Start with this group. Let’s get her done. Geez.

    Glad its all progressing but we may need to belong the Life Extension Group to live long enough to see anything work. A snail is like a dragster compared to hair research.

    I’ll give Aclaris a Big 5 at least they are on time on their research trials and the big one is 9 months away for the results.

    1. Yes they are on time, but their results are pathetic.
      The test subjects they used hardly had any hair loss. They stacked the deck in their favour in the trial.

  10. Why every time I read about mpb , I read “ the current medication like minoxidil and propecia are marginally effective “ I can agree that minox is marginally effective , but propecia? From what I read and seen propecia is very effective and I consider it a cure if you start very early and you can tolerate it , many many people are keeping their hair for 20 years and more with propecia ,calling it “marginally effective “ is stupid , and it targets the root of mpb , I don’t think we will not have anything superior as medication except hair cloning .

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