Are hair follicle stem cells promising candidates for wound healing?

INTRODUCTION: With the continued focus on in-depth investigations of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), the role of HFSCs in wound healing has attracted increasing attention from researchers. This review may afford meaningful implications for HFSC treatment of wounds. AREAS COVERED: We present the properties of HFSCs, analyze the possibility of HFSCs in wound healing, and sum up the recent studies into wound repair with HFSCs. The details of HFSCs in wound healing have been discussed. The possible mechanisms of wound healing with HFSCs have been elaborated. Additionally, the factors that influence HFSCs in wound healing are also summarized. EXPERT OPINION: Hair follicle stem cells are promising sources for wound healing. However, a further understanding of human HFSCs and the safety use of HFSCs in clinical practice still remain in relative infancy.