A Review of Hair Anatomy and Animal Models for Alopecia

The paper "A Review of Hair Anatomy and Animal Models for Alopecia" discusses the complex process of the hair growth cycle, which includes four distinct phases: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen, and Exogen, regulated by factors like hormones and genetics. Imbalances in this cycle can lead to hair loss or Alopecia, caused by various factors such as genetics, hormonal imbalances, medication, poor diet, smoking, and environmental factors. Alopecia is classified into several types including Alopecia areata, Androgenic alopecia, Alopecia universalis, Involutional alopecia, Telogen effluvium, Trichotillomania, and Scarring alopecia. The paper also discusses the use of animal models, specifically mice and rats, to study the pathophysiology of Alopecia. These models are used to study different types of Alopecia, such as androgenic Alopecia, which occurs due to testosterone sensitivity or the Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, and alopecia areata, using transgenic animals and C3H/HeJ mice models. These models can aid in developing new treatment approaches for Alopecia.