Transplantation of melanocyte stem cells in vitiliginous skin
ABSTRACT: Depigmentation in
vitiligo occurs as a result of progressive loss of functioning epidermal melanocytes,
and currently various modalities have been developed to re-functioning these cells.
However, in area with poor melanocytes reservoir, such as old-persistent
lesions or lesions on bony prominence, the modalities are hardly to achieve
repigmentation. Since spontaneous repigmentation of vitiliginous skins begin
mostly in follicular areas, reactivation of melanocyte precursors along the
outer root sheath of hair follicle is expected to have better on this
pigmentation. Melanocyte precursor came from melanocyte stem cells that
originally located on bulge area of hair follicles. The latest surgical
intervention in vitiligo is transplantation of melanocyte stem cells. Clinical
experiments indicated that the transplantation can be performed either by
transplantation of extracted follicular units or single cell suspension
harvested from this area. By single cell suspension treatment, a 50 cm2 of
vitiliginous skin can be handled by 15 autologous hair follicular units. Theseprocedures
are easy and can be performed by any dermatologist especially who has been trained
in dermatologic surgery as well as in cellular based therapies.
Author: Yohanes Widodo
Wirohadidjojo and Flandiana Yogianti
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg150366
