Kotsarelis on BBC. Its global news now

Stem cell; cell based hair therapy
1

Well it seems that is global news by now what somebody pointed out last week from the Follica website. It seems that this Peach fuzz that we have left might one day become normal hair again only by the application of a simple…cream!

Experts claim to discover ‘cause’ of male baldness

Experts say they have discovered what they believe is the cause of male pattern baldness.

It is not simply a lack of hair, but rather a problem with the new hair that is made.

A manufacturing defect means the hair produced is so small it appears invisible to the naked eye, giving the classic bald spot or receding hairline.

The US team told the Journal of Clinical Investigation the fault lies with the stem cells that make new hair.

It may be possible to ‘cure’ male baldness by restoring the normal function of these cells, the experts hope.

Ultimately, they hope to be able to develop a cream that could be applied to the scalp to help the stem cells grow normal hair.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

The fact that there are normal numbers of stem cells in bald scalp gives us hope for reactivating those stem cells”

End Quote Dr George Cotsarelis who led the research

Using men undergoing hair transplants as guinea pigs, the University of Pennsylvania team compared hair follicles in bald patches and hairy areas of the scalp.

Although bald areas had the same number of hair-making stem cells as normal scalp, there were fewer of a more mature type, called the progenitor cell.

This difference means that hair follicles in bald patches shrink rather than disappear and the new hairs made are microscopic compared to normal hair.

Dr George Cotsarelis who led the research said: "This implies that there is a problem in the activation of stem cells converting progenitor cells in bald scalp.

“The fact that there are normal numbers of stem cells in bald scalp gives us hope for reactivating those stem cells.”

Until now it has been unclear what the exact cause of male pattern baldness is, but experts believe the male hormone testosterone is involved and baldness also tends to run in families.

Cause of male baldness discovered, experts say - BBC News

And to start the speculation theories that we all love & hate at the same time…

Kotsarelis works for Follica, how come they decided to unveal to the world their finding now just a bit after their patent?

Are they so far ahead in the research that are not afraid of the competition?

Does the competition already knows this and they just want to get the headlines?

How come they say that the next step is testing on women? Are they done with men…whats the deal with that?

Is this good news about the Follica trials now that they went global with this. does this mean its all a matter of time?

Is it bad news? did they follow the wrong path and now they are getting to understand the reality of a cure?

2

I think they had a better understading from the day he appeared on the today show. Look at their patent. Most likely they are confident they can reproduce hair although they don’t fully understand why.

3

» I think they had a better understading from the day he appeared on the
» today show. Look at their patent. Most likely they are confident they can
» reproduce hair although they don’t fully understand why.

posted by @Z79 - December 18, 2010
Follica related patent (?)

This could be Follica related. Could have nothing to do with it. But Rox Andersson, one of the follica scientific founders, has a new patent out regarding substance delivery to follicles. Espacenet - Bibliographic data

This could possibly hint on where Follica have problems moving forward, maybe it´s not the wounding technology that needs improvement but the delivery of growth factors etc to the scalp.
Another indication of this theory is that every DIY experementing with topical egfr inhibitors has failed doing this. But some of us has probably seen that scalp wounding sometimes can result in tiny, sparse vellus hairs. So wounding it self works to some extent.

Source/thread:
http://www.hairsite.com/hair-loss/board_entry-id-76161-page-0-order-last_answer-category-0.html

Anyway, the mentioned/discussed patent (by Z79) IS definitely related to Follica:

http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?IA=US2010036156&DISPLAY=DESC

4

I find the same news here, is there a way to make a cream that contains progenitor cells ?

http://www.thirdage.com/news/baldness-stem-cell-discovery-may-lead-new-treatment_1-5-2011

5

» I find the same news here, is there a way to make a cream that contains
» progenitor cells ?

And into what exactly should they finally turn? Into a penis or a vagina? Or should they simply turn into tumors, just in case they can’t make a decision?

6

» » I find the same news here, is there a way to make a cream that contains
» » progenitor cells ?
»
» And into what exactly should they finally turn? Into a penis or a vagina?
» Or should they simply turn into tumors, just in case they can’t make a
» decision?

I think what we need is a topical that will cause the stem cells to properly produce these progenitor cells. I think that bimatoprost in latisse is doing this but for the scalp we will have to have a stronger dose than the dose in latisse.

I also think that these growth factor treatments might cause the stem cells to produce these progenitor cells.

7

» Well it seems that is global news by now what somebody pointed out last
» week from the Follica website. It seems that this Peach fuzz that we have
» left might one day become normal hair again only by the application of a
» simple…cream!
»
»
» Experts claim to discover ‘cause’ of male baldness
»
» Experts say they have discovered what they believe is the cause of male
» pattern baldness.
»
» It is not simply a lack of hair, but rather a problem with the new hair
» that is made.
»
» A manufacturing defect means the hair produced is so small it appears
» invisible to the naked eye, giving the classic bald spot or receding
» hairline.
»
» The US team told the Journal of Clinical Investigation the fault lies with
» the stem cells that make new hair.
»
» It may be possible to ‘cure’ male baldness by restoring the normal function
» of these cells, the experts hope.
»
» Ultimately, they hope to be able to develop a cream that could be applied
» to the scalp to help the stem cells grow normal hair.
» Continue reading the main story
» “Start Quote
»
» The fact that there are normal numbers of stem cells in bald scalp
» gives us hope for reactivating those stem cells”
»
» End Quote Dr George Cotsarelis who led the research
»
» Using men undergoing hair transplants as guinea pigs, the University of
» Pennsylvania team compared hair follicles in bald patches and hairy areas
» of the scalp.
»
» Although bald areas had the same number of hair-making stem cells as normal
» scalp, there were fewer of a more mature type, called the progenitor cell.
»
» This difference means that hair follicles in bald patches shrink rather
» than disappear and the new hairs made are microscopic compared to normal
» hair.
»
» Dr George Cotsarelis who led the research said: "This implies that there is
» a problem in the activation of stem cells converting progenitor cells in
» bald scalp.
»
» “The fact that there are normal numbers of stem cells in bald scalp gives
» us hope for reactivating those stem cells.”
»
» Until now it has been unclear what the exact cause of male pattern baldness
» is, but experts believe the male hormone testosterone is involved and
» baldness also tends to run in families.
»
» Cause of male baldness discovered, experts say - BBC News
» ---------------------------------------
»
» And to start the speculation theories that we all love & hate at the same
» time…
»
» Kotsarelis works for Follica, how come they decided to unveal to the world
» their finding now just a bit after their patent?
»
» Are they so far ahead in the research that are not afraid of the
» competition?
»
» Does the competition already knows this and they just want to get the
» headlines?
»
» How come they say that the next step is testing on women? Are they done
» with men…whats the deal with that?
»
» Is this good news about the Follica trials now that they went global with
» this. does this mean its all a matter of time?
»
» Is it bad news? did they follow the wrong path and now they are getting to
» understand the reality of a cure?

two points…
1.Until now it has been unclear what the exact cause of male pattern baldness
» is, but experts believe the male hormone testosterone is involved and
» baldness also tends to run in families.

W T F gentlemen???

2.When Could This Theoretical Cure Be on The Market? “Within the next decade,” Dr. Cotsarelis was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail’s Fiona Macrae.

8

» W T F gentlemen???
»
»
» 2.When Could This Theoretical Cure Be on The Market? “Within the next
» decade,” Dr. Cotsarelis was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail’s Fiona
» Macrae.

9

»
» two points…
» 1.Until now it has been unclear what the exact cause of male pattern
» baldness
» » is, but experts believe the male hormone testosterone is involved and
» » baldness also tends to run in families.
»
» W T F gentlemen???
»
»
» 2.When Could This Theoretical Cure Be on The Market? “Within the next
» decade,” Dr. Cotsarelis was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail’s Fiona
» Macrae.

He’s talking about the topical cream when he says within the decade, this latest news supports what Follica are doing and if anything shows they’re ahead of the game. If you read this article you can see that Cotsarelis wasn’t the lead guy on this study and Follica might not have been part of the funding.

First author Luis Garza, MD, PhD, a dermatologist and former postdoctoral fellow in the Cotsarelis lab, performed much of the work and is now an assistant professor of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University.

The research was funded in part by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; the Pennsylvania Department of Health; the Fannie Gray Hall Center for Human Appearance; and L’Oreal.

So this work is showing that Follica were going in the right direction with their treatment even if people weren’t sure. I would also take most things that Dr Cotsarelis with a pinch of salt, he’s been saying for some time now that Follica hadn’t started clinical trials and when they do they would put it on their website. Well as we found out yesterday it appears they have started trials.

10

exactly how does one coax a stem cell to become a progenitor cell producing a hair follicle. that’s the multi-billion dollar question.

11

I’ve been saying for a while that Follicles Don’t Die! Finally we have this issue settled once and for all! :slight_smile:

12

Great news. Now let’s way another 5 years for the next discovery of the ‘cause’ of male baldness.

Kotsarelis is on the news from time to time with great amazing news but with no solution at all for hairlosers.

13

ok so we have the stemcells there, we have the peach fuzz and the atrophied bulbs waiting so basically they are talking about the holy grail. Wake them up to start producing real hair again.

From what i gother they are telling us that one day maybe a simple cream will do it which might be decades away. but for now they are trying something more primitive which is wounding and the special compounds.

Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were doing it wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?

14

» Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were doing it
» wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?

Exactly.

15

» » Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were doing it
» » wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?
»
»
» Exactly.

Oh, c’mon. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe you’re just having a bad day - which is totally fine - but for goodness sake, at least try to understand the science before making useless and cynical comments such as this one.

Cotsarelis’s new findings conclusively prove that stem cells do exist in ample amounts in bald scalps, however they need to be activated (by an undefined mechanism) in order to increase the ratio of progenitors.

This information does not, in any way, contradict Follica’s earlier findings. To the contrary, it substantiates them. At the present time, Follica is experimenting with a mechanism (wounding + drug intervention) to reactivate these pre-existing stem cells.

16

» » » Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were doing
» it
» » » wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?
» »
» »
» » Exactly.
»
» Oh, c’mon. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe
» you’re just having a bad day - which is totally fine - but for goodness
» sake, at least try to understand the science before making useless and
» cynical comments such as this one.
»
» Cotsarelis’s new findings conclusively prove that stem cells do exist in
» ample amounts in bald scalps, however they need to be activated (by an
» undefined mechanism) in order to increase the ratio of progenitors.
»
» This information does not, in any way, contradict Follica’s earlier
» findings. To the contrary, it substantiates them. At the present time,
» Follica is experimenting with a mechanism (wounding + drug intervention) to
» reactivate these pre-existing stem cells.

I should also add that this research study was 1) conducted COMPLETELY INDEPENDENTLY of Follica and 2) conducted by a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT researcher, not Cotsarelis himself.

17

» » » Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were doing
» it
» » » wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?
» »
» »
» » Exactly.
» --------------------
» Oh, c’mon. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

Sorry shooter (you’re an appreciated user), but in this case, it is YOU who seems to have no idea.

For instance:
» Cotsarelis’s new findings conclusively prove that stem cells do exist in
» ample amounts in bald scalps, …

First of all, Dr. G. Cotsarelis himself, did practically nothing for this study (just his name has been used for hyping). Secondly, the skin (biggest organ) couldn’t exist without specific types of “stem cells” in it and everywhere in it (which regenerates themself DAILY)!

“Cots study” is, in fact, a study for amateurs or maybe something for students in their 1st biology semester. This is no joke!

18

» » » » Is this the case basically or they just realized that they were
» doing
» » it
» » » » wrong and they try to sugarcoat it?
» » »
» » »
» » » Exactly.
» » --------------------
» » Oh, c’mon. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
»
» Sorry shooter (you’re an appreciated user), but in this case, it is YOU who
» seems to have no idea.
»
» For instance:
» » Cotsarelis’s new findings conclusively prove that stem cells do exist in
» » ample amounts in bald scalps, …
»
» First of all, Dr. G. Cotsarelis himself, did practically nothing for this
» study (just his name has been used for hyping). Secondly, the skin (biggest
» organ) couldn’t exist without specific types of “stem cells” in it
» and everywhere in it (which regenerates themself DAILY)!
»
» “Cots study” is, in fact, a study for amateurs or maybe something for
» students in their 1st biology semester. This is no joke!

What you are saying is correct, but it does not contradict any of the information I provided.

As I stated, it was conducted by a different researcher and addresses a completely different platform for the treatment of MPB. Just because this research study is a very minor breakthrough, does not mean it will adversely impact Follica’s progress. That is my main point.

19

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/baldness-breakthrough-root-cause-discovered-23757868

This link has a good video on the story. Scientists said it could be available in 10 years.

Of course, things always take longer than they say…

20

» http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/baldness-breakthrough-root-cause-discovered-23757868
»
» This link has a good video on the story.

I’m extremely disappointed.

Anyway, one guy in this video (the Yul Brynner guy) acts really GREAT!