Extracellular Matrix?

Hi Dr. Rassman & Dr. Pak,

I saw an interesting item in one of the hair loss forums about a company called ACell, which makes “extracellular matrix” (ECM) products from pig bladders for veterinary use. They are apparently in the process of getting FDA approval for use of some of their products in humans. According to the company’s website, ECM “serves as an inductive template around which around which mammalian tissues grow and differentiate.” There are pictures on this site that are pretty amazing — gaping wounds in animals with insufficient tissue for closure that heal nearly completely, including new hair growth, after application of the scaffolding material. This seems like a pretty exciting development, with obvious potential applications in the HT field. What do you think of this?

Plastic surgeons use this similar type of technology to address open wounds and reconstruct tissue. With respect to the hair transplant field, it may have certain applications in troublesome wound areas (severe scalp injuries) where the tension on the skin makes it almost impossible to close the wound. These wounds can close, but they will not develop hair on the skin and I doubt that the pig model will apply here.