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REVIEW article

Front. Med.
Sec. Dermatology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1510363

Pathogenesis and regenerative therapy in Vitiligo and Alopecia areata: Focus on Hair Follicle

Provisionally accepted
Zhou Yuan Zhou Yuan Yuxuan Zhang Yuxuan Zhang Yuyun Xiong Yuyun Xiong *Yu-Mei Li Yu-Mei Li *
  • Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, zhenjiang, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by the loss of functional melanocytes in the hair follicles and epidermis, leading to white patches on the skin and mucous membranes. Alopecia areata (AA) is a common immune-mediated condition in which autoimmune attack on hair follicles cause non-scarring hair loss. Both diseases significantly impact patients's physical and mental health. Hair follicles, dynamic mini-organs, house diverse stem cell populations that form hair structures. Melanocyte stem cell (McSCs) and hair follicle stem cells (HFSC) located in the hair follicle bulge contribute to follicular structures during each anagen phase of the hair cycle, synchronizing periodic activities to impact color to the hair. Hair follicle dysfunction may contribute to hair loss and could potentially interfere with repigmentation efforts in vitiligo lesions. This article reviews the role of hair follicles in the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic options for vitiligo and AA, aiming to deepen clinicians' understanding of follicular involvement in these diseases and explore potential treatment avenues.

    Keywords: hair follicles, Vitiligo, Alopecia Areata, autoimmune disease, clinical application

    Received: 12 Oct 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yuan, Zhang, Xiong and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yuyun Xiong, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, zhenjiang, China
    Yu-Mei Li, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, zhenjiang, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.