Cloning is defined as the production of genetically identical organisms. For example, Dolly is the name
of a well-known sheep that was cloned. Cloning hair follicles has been a significant challenge as they
are too complex to be multiplied in a test-tube, and they cannot grow on their own outside of the body
as they are not a whole organism, like our Dolly.
With Dolly, scientists transferred genetic material from a donor adult sheep cell to an
egg whose genetic material had been removed. This egg, containing the DNA from a
donor cell, was treated with chemicals or an electric current in order to stimulate cell
division. Once the cloned embryo reached a suitable stage, it was transferred to the
uterus of another sheep, where it continued to develop until birth.
Although it is impossible to clone hair in the true sense, research has shown that
follicular cells can be harvested from one person’s hair and injected into their own or
another person’s scalp. This new hair grows without being rejected by the immune system.
Interestingly, the donated hair-producing cells will grow new hair that resembles the bald
person’s original hair instead of the donor person’s hair. In practice, people with male or
female pattern baldness’s own hair have the potential to be an unlimited source to grow
new hair. The transfer of follicular cells from one person to another is only necessary in people
who are completely bald.
There are still a number of unsolved problems that prevent new hair growth by the injection of
follicular cells. It still needs to be determined how to culture and grow the harvested cells, how to
properly align the cells and how to avoid the potential of harvesting cancer-producing cells.
In summary, on the status of cloning, it is still a work in progress. Although there has
been recent success, and there is now a working model for how hair cloning might
eventually be accomplished, much work still needs to be done.
