The Rendl Lab — Understanding Dermal Papilla Cells

The New York based Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) is a highly respected medical school.  It includes departments that specialize in stem cells, regenerative medicine, and dermatology.  Recently, I found out that the school is also home to the Rendl Lab, led by Dr. Michael Rendl (who seems to originate from Austria and has worked under the renowned Dr. Elaine Fuchs at her lab in the past).  Also see Dr. Michael Rendl’s bio on the Mount Sinai Hospital page.

It was quite surprising to me that the Rendl Lab places such a heavy emphasis on research related to the hair follicle, in particular, the dermal papilla cell.  Their ultimate goal is hair regeneration. In their own words, they wish to:

  • Uncover how specialized Dermal Papilla (DP) cells act as instructive niche cells for hair follicle stem cells.
  • Define how DP cells acquire the hair-inducing cell fate in the first place that sets them apart from regular skin fibroblasts.

On the Rendl Lab’s publications page, they allow anyone to access pdf versions of their articles, which is a much appreciated rarity in the medical research profession.  The lab’s research page has some interesting diagrams pertaining to dermal papilla cells.

The Rendl Lab has now been added to the world map of key hair loss research centers.

32 thoughts on “The Rendl Lab — Understanding Dermal Papilla Cells”

  1. Shiseido supposedly already figured this all out. But are taking FOREVER to begin Phase II Hair Regeneration. Once this finally begins. It will be completed in about 2 yrs. And remember only in “Japan” Phase III can now be skipped. Meaning a cure for baldness can be commercialized & out on the market in Japan 2018. I am from the old school. SEEING IS BELIEVING!!! GET THE BALL MOVING PEOPLE!!!

  2. Your work here is awesome! Congratulations!
    I enter here every other day to see the news, your blog is very helpful!
    Keep the good work

  3. *Sigh*
    I really hope something comes out before I turn 30. I am currently 24 and today I just came back from the dermatologist office and they told me that i have male pattern baldness (androgenic alopicia) and on the right side of my temple I have alopecia ariata. Plus on the right side aswell the temple hairs have become thinner. I am currently going to the dermatologist every 2 weeks for cordazone shots. I don’t know how much more of this I can take this is getting frustrating.

    1. I know how it feels I am 21 and I am about norwood 4-5

      Days sucks but just keep strong till something comes out bro

      1. Thanks man I know but it’s tough sometimes. I mean I personally wouldn’t mind if I started losing my hair in my 50s like my dad but I feel like I am losing it sooner than him IDK

        1. Since talking about dads mine is about 51 and still has black hair and a little of thinning at the crown but you never notice till you look closely under the light
          And some people thought I am his younger brother which is mind blowing for me and I am 21!
          But yeah what can you do?!
          There is worse out there like people with no arms or legs or both or both with an illness where you can just wish them the best

          Doesnt mean that baldness sucks! I think every one that has a smaller or bigger disease wishes a cure but it does make a difference how small or big you make it
          I am not talking that I have that mentality every day I have it maybe 1 or 2 days and 10 other days not
          But its the trying that counts till you have that mentality everyday and when so guess it wouldnt depend anymore if a cure comes or not!

          P.s I am 5`6 ft and not good looking which makes it even worse but yeah…

          Take care man

  4. Maybe someone can answer this.
    Is there such thing as a mature hairline or if you start to recede even a little it’s automatically MPB

  5. Hi, Admin
    first of all thank you, for this great blog. I come her and check the news once a week, and every time, i hope that a new cure have arrived.

    I was woundering, if you have the time , would you make a post about finasterid and fertile. Because i cant find anything valid about the subject, and that is the main reason why i haven’t started on it yet.

    best regards
    A danish guy

    1. Thanks! You are the second person who asked about this in the past few days, and I might write a post on Finasteride side effects in the near future. Its a very controversial issue.

      My feeling is that there is a very small chance of permanent side effects, including on fertility. I take half the dosage due to this uncertainty. But I still take the drug and am willing to risk it.

    1. That is what I believe. Not sure why you have been obsessed with this lately. I get no income from selling Finasteride, and I am not a promoter of the product other than perhaps 2 posts a year mentioning it. Are you also e-mailing all the hair loss forums to remove their Finasteride forums? And e-mailing all the 1000s of doctors and hair transplant surgeons who prescribe it?

    1. Actually, there are 100s of studies that state that something like 2 percent of Fin users get serious side effects. Anyway, lets end this topic for now and do not keep commenting about Finasteride in every post please Paul as I hate not approving comments and very rarely do that. When I do write that Finasteride post, I guarantee that you will not be happy as I will give both sides of the story, and I will say that I take half the dosage. Don’t worry, I will link to that favorite Finasteride side effects forum of yours too and people can decide themselves.

    1. Well Avodart (Dutasteride) is even better than Propecia and has even more side effects. But in any case, a cure will make some company very wealthy and I do not think Propecia’s or Avodart’s manufacturers have any say in other companies searching for a cure.

      But yes, we will end now and thanks for commenting on this blog Paul:-)

  6. Hey admin! I check your blog every other day and it has been really helpful. Great work!

    Anyway, I have a question. Do you think Shiseido will be the cure we have been waiting for? I mean, a full cure even for NW7? (with more treatments and higher dosages, obviously)

    Also, is that true that Shiseido is doing a separate study with ipsc cells? (not the same one used by Replicel)

    Thank you :))

    1. Thanks! Siseido is a very reputable company and they are doing their own research as well as using what Replicel gave them. I am optimistic about their chances. However, like I said in an earlier response, I have been fooled in the past and it is not worth relying on one company. Luckily we also have others working on a cure.

      If a cell based cure is realized, there is no reason a NW7 cannot become a NW1. Based on the Norwod Scale images, a NW7 still has some donor hair left.

      Yes I read that that Shiseido is doing some separate cell based research (I think Replicel mentioned that it was not related to their original technology).

    2. Lol! Loreal too claims to have a product that will “cure” your baldness. Shisheido is a cosmetic company, so you can be sure they will have nothing but a band aid treatment at best. The PR thing about a “cure” is a load of BS that you guys fall for over and over again out of desperation

      1. I do not think L’Oreal has access to anything remotely on par with what Replicel has given Shiseido. Also, Replicel’s main researcher Dr. McElwee has been doing hair loss research for a long time. In the end, it could all end nowhere, but you can’t compare Replicel/Shiseido to L’Oreal as yet.

        1. You give Replicel way too much credibility my friend. At the present time, they have absolutely nothing to offer. I have interacted with them through social media and let me tell you their communication ( or lack of) is very indicative of their viability. This is essentially an Aderans 2.0 that’s pushing way above its weight thanks in large part to its supposed deal with a well known cosmetics heavyweight. The deals itself is quite telling: a paultry sum from a cosmetics company. This simply tells me they have marginal results at best. Just common sense: if they had anything remotely resembling a “cure”, they would have struck a major deal with a leading pharma. The market is colossal and not short of takers.

          1. Good chance you are correct, but Shiseido (with their big new hair research site) still superior to L’Oreal in my opinion.

  7. @ Athmane: We shouldn’t speculate before phase II after which everything will be clear. Phase I had poor result because it was just for safety, with minimal doses and single injections. There were results in regrowth, it works. It was small in that dose, but with bigger ones and with multiple sessions it will be interesting. It won’t be a cure from NW7 to NW0, but if it gives regrowth of about 2 NW phases and will protect from further hair loss (as structures of injected follicles is changed) it will save us all. And even for higher norwoods, it will work with good HT. And plz, it’s modern cell therapy and Shiseido works with some great scientists. How could you compare it with l’Oreal and their cosmetics?

    1. Dont believe it til u see it!!…I was once told i was being set up on a date with a gorgeous women. I asked for pics and they said dont worry bout them just trust us…she was a dog who didnt take care of her self…get it?!!

    1. Mike how are they wasting time? If they had a great product they would be moving as fast as possible. In reality they have a potentially great product and are not there yet.

  8. There are wasting time a lot of time. It actually comes down to the regulators approving a Phase II clinical trial in Japan. PDMA is like the FDA of Japan. TOM WAKE UP THEY ARE DELAYING GAME!!!

  9. J Androl. 2008 Sep-Oct;29(5):514-23. doi: 10.2164/jandrol.108.005025. Epub 2008 Apr 17.
    The effect of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors on erectile function.
    Canguven O1, Burnett AL.
    Author information
    Abstract
    The 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, which inhibit conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, are used for miscellaneous clinical applications, including the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and male pattern hair loss, and for possible reduction of the risk of prostate cancer. Erectile dysfunction has been associated with 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors. Overall, reports in the literature suggest rates of erectile dysfunction to be between 0.8%-33% in men using these medications. However, randomized controlled studies report the rates of erectile dysfunction to be between 0.8%-15.8%. The possible risk association is that these medications impact androgen function, which is understood to contribute to normal erectile physiology. The 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors result in a drop in median serum dihydrotestosterone levels by 60%-93% within 2 years, but there is no major change in testosterone levels. In this review, we surveyed studies on erectile dysfunction in patients treated with 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and critically examined the evidence that associates 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and erectile dysfunction. We conclude that 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors do not lead to erectile dysfunction to a significant degree, and we support the position that dihydrotestosterone is less relevant than testosterone in erectile function.

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