capable of expresses expresses hair follicle associated fibroblast dermal sheath fibroblast DS fibroblast A fibroblast forming the connective tissue sheath that encloses the hair follicle epithelium from the level of the bulge downward to the hair bulb. This cell expresses characteristic markers, including DPEP1 in humans and COL11A1 and ACTA2 (alpha-smooth muscle actin) in mice and humans. Dermal sheath fibroblast possesses contractile properties mediated by calcium-calmodulin-myosin light chain kinase signalling, generating centripetal force during hair follicle catagen that relocates the dermal papilla to the stem cell niche. muscle contraction actin, aortic smooth muscle collagen alpha-1(XI) chain dipeptidase 1 (human)