Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by numbness, tingling, and/or pain, typically in the hands and feet, although these symptoms can occur in other areas of the body. There can be numerous causes of a peripheral neuropathy. Diabetes is perhaps the most common cause, although other causes can include trauma, infections, and nutrient deficiencies. And this is yet another problem which does seem to be more common in people with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions.
Once transplanted, the stem cells spontaneously grew into hair follicles that produced hair in the mice. Researchers say they also identified a set of genes that are turned on by the stem cells, which may provide new targets for manipulating hair growth.
In the study, researchers used new cell labeling techniques to isolate the stem cells from hair follicles in mice and then showed that they developed into mature hair cells capable of producing follicles and hair growth.