Effects of cepharanthine and minoxidil on proliferation, differentiation and keratinization of cultured cells from the murine hair apparatus.

The effects of cepharanthine and minoxidil on proliferation, differentiation and keratinization of cultured cells from the murine hair apparatus were examined electron microscopically. Both cepharanthine and minoxidil stimulated cell proliferation and delayed initiation of differentiation and keratinization of the cultured cells. On day 6, most control cells (87%) cultured in a 0.03 mM calcium medium without cepharanthine and minoxidil were differentiated into several subpopulations corresponding to those of in vivo cell layers of the hair apparatus, while most of the cells cultured with cepharanthine (71%) or minoxidil (70%) were still immature. On day 13, the number of degenerated cells increased (63%) in the control culture, whereas in the culture treated with cepharanthine or minoxidil, cell degeneration scarcely occurred (5% and 8%, respectively). Differentiated cells having tonofilaments were often observed in the cepharanthine- and minoxidil-treated cultures (76% and 72%, respectively). Elevation of extracellular calcium up to 1.0 mM induced keratinization (34%) in the control culture on day 6, while no keratinized cells were observed in the cepharanthine- or minoxidil-treated culture. On day 13 keratinization similarly occurred in the cultures with cepharanthine (30%) or minoxidil (48%). These results show that both cepharanthine and minoxidil may directly influence proliferation, differentiation and keratinization of cultured cells from the hair apparatus.