Introduction to Hair-Follicle-Associated Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells -- Nestin-Based Reporter Transgenic Mouse Lines -- Discovery of HAP Stem Cells -- Peripheral-Nerve and Spinal-Cord Regeneration in Mice Using Hair Follicle-Associated-Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells -- Construction of Tissue Engineered Nerve Conduits Seeded with Neurons Derived from Hair Follicle Neural Crest Stem Cells -- Nestin-Expressing Hair Follicle-Associated Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells Promote Whisker Sensory-Nerve Growth in Long-Term 3D Gelfoam Histoculture -- Isolation and Culture of Neural Crest Stem Cells from Human Hair Follicles -- Isolation of Mouse Hair Follicle Bulge Stem Cells and their Functional Analysis in a Reconstitution Assay -- Hair Follicle Regeneration by Transplantation of a Bioengineered Hair Follicle Germ -- Hair Induction by Cultured Mesenchymal Cells Using Sphere Formation -- Stereological Quantification of Cell Cycle Kinetics and Mobilization of Epithelial Stem Cells during Wound Healing -- Culture of Dermal Papilla Cells from Ovine Wool Follicles: An In Vitro Model for Papilla Size Determination -- Isolation and Fluorescence Activated Cell-Sorting of Mouse Keratinocytes Expressing β-Galactosidase -- Ectopic Hair Growth from Transplanted Whisker Follicles on the Spinal Cord of Mice -- Long-Term Gelfoam® Histoculture of Hair-Shaft-Producing Mouse Whisker Follicles -- From Hair to Heart: Hair Follicle-Associated-Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells Differentiate to Beating Cardiac Muscle Cells -- Highly Efficient Neural Differentiation of CD34 Positive Hair Follicle-Associated Pluripotent (HAP) Stem Cells Induced by Retinoic Acid and Serum Free Medium -- Cryopreservation of Intact Hair Follicle Maintains Pluripotency of Nestin-Expressing (HAP) Stem Cells.

This volume discusses methods for the study of multipotent and pluripotent stem cells of the hair follicle. The stem cells described are involved in both the growth of the hair follicle and its production of the hair shaft, as well as the growth of the hair follicle sensory nerve. Multipotent Stem Cells of the Hair Follicle: Methods and Protocols also explores very unexpected results such as that of the hair follicle-associated-pluripotent (HAP) stem cells, which not only have the capability for regenerating the hair follicle sensory nerve, but also can differentiate ex vivo and in vivo to multiple cell types not associated with the hair follicle-these include glial cells, motor neurons, and beating cardiac muscle cells. The potential for HAP stem cells for regenerative medicine is also discussed in detail. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Multipotent Stem Cells of the Hair Follicle: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers interested in this field. .