Current research projects

• The role of the hair follicle dermal papilla cells in inducing hair follicle growth in non-hairy glabrous sole of foot skin.
  
  R. Taghizadeh; C. Jahoda; R DeBono

The dermal papilla (DP) is a mesenchymal component of the hair follicle bulb and regulates hair follicle growth. The DP cells retain their embryonic stem cell abilities and are able to induce new hair growth in mature hairless adult skin when implanted between the epidermal-mesenchymal interface. The hair growth induction properties of dermal papilla on glabrous sole of the foot skin were investigated in adult PVG rat looking at early and late molecular and genetic markers.

Samples of sole of foot skin were harvested from inbred adult PVG rats and the epidermis and dermis of these specimens separated by enzymatic treatment. Intact dermal papillae of vibrissae follicles were isolated from adult PVG rat and inserted in between dermal/epidermal layers to produce a recombinant skin “sandwich”. This was transplanted into subcutaneous pockets on a syngenic rat of the same litter.

The DP induced hair follicle growth in the transplanted epidermis. Specimen time points ranging from four days to three weeks were analysed using immunohistochemistry looking at molecular and genetic markers specific to dermal papilla and the epidermis.

The dermal papilla induced hair follicle growth in non-hairy glabrous sole of the foot skin. This dermal papilla potential has clinical implications in the treatment of alopecia, hairless scars (scalp burns) and hairless skin grafts in areas of desirable hair growth.

• The efficacy of using preoperative information DVDs in patient education prior to breast reduction surgery  

      S Tadipathi     R DeBono

• A classification of prominent ears  

      S Tadipathi  R DeBono

• The Regnault B technique in breast reduction surgery  

      A Edwin  R DeBono

• DVT prophylaxis in breast reduction surgery and abdominoplasty 

      M Alrawi    R DeBono