Hair follicle graft from tissue engineered skin

Abstract

The present invention provides a hair graft comprising (a) tissue engineered skin comprising a tissue engineered epidermal layer, a tissue engineered dermal layer, and hair follicle progenitor cells and (b) a scaffold. The invention also provides methods of making and using the hair grafts of the present invention.

1 . A hair graft comprising (a) tissue engineered skin having a tissue engineered epidermal layer, a tissue engineered dermal layer, and hair follicle progenitor cells; and (b) a scaffold, wherein the graft is at least about 2 millimeters thick.  
     
     
         2 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein the hair follicle progenitor cells are located between the dermal and epidermal layers.  
     
     
         3 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the epidermal layer of the graft is about 1 to about 9 square millimeters in area.  
     
     
         4 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein a moiety is associated with the scaffold.  
     
     
         5 . The graft of  claim 4 , wherein the moiety is selected from the group consisting of a growth factor, an angiogenesis factor, a cell attachment binding site moiety, a cell signaling molecule, a polypeptide, a glycoprotein, and a bioactive molecule.  
     
     
         6 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein additional cells are associated with the scaffold.  
     
     
         7 . The graft of  claim 6 , wherein the additional cells are selected from the group consisting of fat cells, pre-adipocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and bone marrow cells.  
     
     
         8 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein the hair follicle progenitor cells comprise dermal papilla cells.  
     
     
         9 . The graft of  claim 1 , wherein the hair follicle progenitor cells are aggregrated.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making a hair graft, comprising: 
 a) placing a tissue engineered dermal layer on a bioabsorbable scaffold;    b) placing hair follicle progenitor cells on the tissue engineered dermal layer;    c) placing a tissue engineered epidermal layer on the hair follicle progenitor cells to form a construct;    d) allowing the construct to mature in vitro; and    e) cutting the construct into implantable grafts.    
     
     
         11 . A method of implanting a hair graft comprising creating a wound in skin of a subject and implanting the graft of  claim 1  into the wound.