Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Their Secretory Factors for Skin Aging and Hair Loss

Human mesenchymal stem cells, by virtue of its capability to self-renew and differentiate into a variety of cell types, represent the first pluripotent stem cells to be used in clinical settings related to damage or degeneration. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand how mesenchymal stem cells and their secretory factors contribute to regenerative medicine. Recent studies on the role of stem cells for skin and hair regeneration by many researchers including the authors have been remarkable. These scientific data enabled us to achieve the cost-effective treatment of skin aging using the legally acceptable cell therapeutic agents and their secretory factors. Objective data on the improvement of diverse aspects of skin aging including wound healing, wrinkle, and melasma due to photoaging have been available. Another progress has been made using the protein extract of the mesenchymal stem cells from the adipose tissue to promote hair growth in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo by modulating the follicular cell cycles and hair cycle and protecting the follicular cells from androgens and reactive oxygen species. These approaches might mark the first practical application of stem cells among various trials in the field of skin and hair regeneration.