Effect of the NEP inhibitor on human scalp hair follicles in culture.

<p>Human hair follicles were isolated from occipital scalp specimens, and were cultivated for 10 days. Lengths of hair shafts were measured by Image analysis using Image J software and the growth rate per day (A) was calculated. Data represent means ± SE (n = 6). When the shape of the anagen hair follicle changed to catagen (dermal papillae separated from the follicular epithelium), the follicle was removed from the length measurement and the number of catagen hair follicles was counted (B). Typical photos of cultured human hair follicles are shown in C–H (C–E: vehicle treated, F–H: NPLT treated). Human scalp skin immunostained with an anti-NEP antibody showed similar positive staining as rat (the follicular epithelium, the dermis intrusive in a direction toward the follicular extension and the connective tissue sheath at early anagen (I), IRS and connective tissue sheath at anagen (J)).