2. Academic Validation
  3. Outer root sheath cells secrete oxytocin for hair growth promotion and stem cell proliferation

Outer root sheath cells secrete oxytocin for hair growth promotion and stem cell proliferation

  • J Biosci Bioeng. 2026 Jul;142(1):91-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2026.02.012.
Tatsuto Kageyama 1,  Ting Sun 2,  Lei Yan 1,  Jieun Seo 3,  Sayuri Hamano 3,  Ayaka Nanmo 3,  Junji Fukuda 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan; Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; Institute of Advanced Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan.
  • 2 Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; ReMed Regenerative Medicine Clinical Application Institute, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
  • 3 Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; Institute of Advanced Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan.
  • 4 Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0012, Japan; Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan; Institute of Advanced Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41850949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2026.02.012
Abstract

Oxytocin is a hormone that is primarily produced in the hypothalamus, as well as in the mammary glands, uterus, intestines, and skin. Generally, this hormone acts on the cells surrounding the tissues to maintain homeostasis. Furthermore, oxytocin acts on hair follicles and enhances the hair growth-promoting ability of dermal papilla cells. In this study, we investigated the presence of oxytocin-producing cells in hair follicles and verified the autocrine/paracrine effects of oxytocin. We demonstrated that outer root sheath cells produce oxytocin, which increases the hair growth-promoting potential of dermal papilla cells. Oxytocin also acts on outer root sheath cells, resulting in stem cell proliferation within these cells. This suggests that oxytocin affects both hair growth promotion and stem cell proliferation within hair follicles. These findings are expected to contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying hair follicle homeostasis.

Keywords

Dermal papilla cells; Hair follicle; Hair growth; Outer root sheath cells; Oxytocin.

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