Scientists from the Tsuji Lab Research Institute for Science and Technology at Tokyo University of Science believe they may have discovered the cure for baldness that has long baffled experts (and 7m follically-challenged men) – and it’s all down to this tuft of hair that has sprouted from a bald mouse.

Japanese researchers investigated whether stem cells could create pigmented hair follicles by testing on a group of bald-bred lab mice.

Scientists started by growing two different types of skin stem cells until they began to grow immature hair follicles and then implanted them into the mice.

Within three weeks, the mice began to sprout tufts of hair. Scientists later used the same stem cell technique to grow whiskers.

More significantly, scientists also used human stem cells (obtained from the scalp of a balding male) during the study, and had the same result as when they used stem cells from mice.

The research team hope their positive findings could lead to effective baldness treatment on humans in as little as three years.

“We expect that our technologies will help to restore colour to grey hair. We think that the person's natural colour will be reproduced by our technology in the future,” a spokesperson from the study said in a statement.

This breakthrough follows a separate study by the University of Pennsylvania, which claimed to have found the root of the problem that causes baldness – and a way to treat it.

After analysing the potential biological causes of male baldness, scientists discovered high levels of a key protein, called prostaglandin D synthase (PDG2), present in bald areas of the scalp. This protein was not located in any ‘hairier’ areas on the body.

Drugs designed to block PGD2 have already been created to treat asthma, but scientists are hoping that they could be used to treat male baldness within the next five years.

Take a look at our round-up of gorgeous bald celebrity men who have no problem embracing their hairless heads...

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gimmieitbaby
17 Fans
10:05 PM on 04/19/2012
As a balding man, I'd like to say for the record that this is a great example of completely unnessecary animal testing.
Poor bloody mice!
I'd rather they found a cure for middle aged men who can't bear to look their age.
What looks worse, a balding man of 45 or one with spikey hair and highlights?
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hcottagestudio
0 Fans
12:17 AM on 04/20/2012
I agree. Baldness to be cured through cruel animal testing? atrocious! Surely Huffington Post should feel ashamed to show an article that publicises such unnecessary experimentation for a superficial result.
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Alexander Whyte
22 Fans
08:11 PM on 04/19/2012
if the treatment is expensive then you borrow the loot to get the potion then start growing loads of fur and save on heating bills ... money returned.

Grow to much fur in the summer then nip down town and get a furcut, sell for wigs to those who cant borrow to buy the potion.
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Alexander Whyte
22 Fans
08:06 PM on 04/19/2012
i want the potion so i can make a mouse look like a Scottish Terrier. We could have mice and rats running around with beards and big eyebrows. Thats got to be worth the time on trials.

Give me the potion, we can put it on a worms and they would brush the grass for us when it gets too long.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fozwords
Abandon hope when you post on here
192 Fans
07:48 PM on 04/19/2012
I dont know about curing baldness, but it could run for Lord Mayor of London, its more Charissma that the others.
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gothemodarkness
2 Fans
07:30 PM on 04/19/2012
omg! this is the most ridiculous experiment i have come across- i have many family members who are going bald and to be quite frank, animal research does not always help human research as we both have differences. There is also ethical issues involved and if there was a treatment it would cost a lot of money and would possibly have bad side effects so i'm sorry but this is a whole lot of rubbish to me!
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cbhoy40
0 Fans
05:26 PM on 04/19/2012
If they have found a cure it will be outpriced for the common man .
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dannykirk9
0 Fans
02:22 PM on 04/19/2012
Good grief...I have had reason to take an interest in these types of stories for more than 20 years now. Each time I eagerly devour news of the latest developments by scientists and each time I read the caveat that they expect a treatment to be available in about 5 years. And is it? No. Of course it isn't and yet again, I have to wait yet longer for the 20 inch afro I have been dreaming about for more than two decades! Get your finger out you scientists!
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delboy246
24 Fans
06:30 AM on 04/19/2012
I knew Jedwood had another sibling, must have been a bit shy.
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Jude Arsenault
280 Fans
 
11:34 PM on 04/18/2012
what an evil,selfish and corrupted world that commits acts of cruelty to animals.
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delboy246
24 Fans
06:31 AM on 04/19/2012
Could be worse, it might have been a toupee
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Alleycatt
27 Fans
01:13 PM on 04/19/2012
OMG another bleeding heart ... would you be against it if you had cancer and they found a cure through such research ?
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Jude Arsenault
280 Fans
 
02:19 PM on 04/19/2012
i pity people like you who have no heart and most likely no brain either.
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MrWhiteone
0 Fans
09:05 PM on 04/18/2012
Well, it wont cure nightmares...
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