Versican and epithelial-mesenchymal interaction

Abstract

The invention describes versican activation and modulation of hair growth, e.g., versican expressing dermal papilla cells exhibit hair induction ability.

1 . A method of inducing hair growth comprising introducing a first cell population to a suitable area wherein the first cell population contains substantially versican expressing cell.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first cell population comprises DP cells.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising evaluating cells of the first cell population for expression of versican.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing a second population of cells before, after, or concurrently with the introduction of the first population of cells into a subject.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second population of cells comprises epithelial cells.  
     
     
         6 . A transgenic mammal whose germ cells and somatic cells contain a transgene comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a reporter sequence and a promoter of versican gene, wherein said promoter is operably linked to the nucleic acid sequence encoding the reporter gene, and wherein said promoter is active in mesenchymal cells of said mammal.  
     
     
         7 . The transgenic mammal of  claim 6 , wherein the mesenchymal cells are condensed mesenchymal cells.  
     
     
         8 . The transgenic mammal of  claim 6 , wherein the mesenchymal cells are dermal papilla cells.  
     
     
         9 . The transgenic mammal of  claim 6 , wherein a product of the reporter gene is expressed specifically in hair follicles.  
     
     
         10 . The transgenic mammal of  claim 6 , wherein the promoter of versican gene comprises a nucleotide sequence from position −559 to +280 of versican gene.  
     
     
         11 . The transgenic mammal of  claim 6 , wherein the promoter of versican gene consists of a nucleotide sequence from position −559 to +280 of versican gene.  
     
     
         12 . A method of providing dermal papilla-specific expression comprising providing a polynucleotide sequence comprising a promoter of versican gene operably linked to a desired nucleic acid sequence, wherein said promoter is active in dermal papilla cells.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the desired nucleic acid sequence encodes a growth factor, a growth factor receptor, a hormone receptor, a morphogen molecule, an adhesion molecule, a protease, or a transcription factor.  
     
     
         14 . A method of separating a first population of cells from a second population of cells comprising introducing a fluorescent or luminescent product to the first population of cells but not the second population and separating the first population of cells from the second population of cells.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein introducing the fluorescent or luminescent product to the first population of cells comprises introducing a luminescent or fluorescent protein by injection or electroporation.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein introducing the fluorescent or luminescent product to the first population of cells comprises inserting a nucleotide sequence encoding a luminescent or fluorescent protein.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nucleotide sequence encoding a luminescent or fluorescent protein is operably linked to a heterologous promoter.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the heterologous promoter is a DP cell specific promoter.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the DP cell specific promoter is a versican promoter.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nucleotide sequence is also inserted into to the second population of cells, and wherein the fluorescent or luminescent protein is expressed in the first population but not in the second population.