The Dermal Papilla: The Command Center of the Hair Follicle

The Dermal Papilla

This image shows the histology of the bottom of a hair follicle once a biopsy slide is stained with dye chemicals known as hematoxylin and eosin. The dermal papilla (DP) is a group of fibroblast cells found at the bottom of the hair follicle. It is a key control centre for the hair follicle and instructs the "hair matrix" (M) exactly what to do in order to make a hair fiber.

The more cells the DP contains, the bigger and wider the hair follicle that will be produced. The DP has the potential to form new hairs when transplanted into other areas of the skin and are therefore said to be "trichogenic" (hair forming).

Histological image (H&E) of the dermal papilla (DP). The DP plays a key role in instructing how the hair matrix above goes about manufacturing hairs