Advances in Hair Diseases
November 2008
in “Advances in Dermatology”
TLDR The review highlights the importance of stem cells in hair health and suggests new treatment strategies for hair loss conditions.
In the 2008 review, Maria Hordinsky explored the complexities of hair follicle biology, including the role of stem cells in the bulge region and the molecules involved in follicle differentiation and cycling. The review identified genes responsible for structural hair abnormalities and hair color, and discussed the hair cycle phases. It emphasized the importance of the follicular bulge for stem cells and immune privilege, noting the implications for conditions like alopecia areata and cicatricial alopecias. The latter were classified by inflammatory cell type, with treatment strategies proposed. The review also addressed hair cycle abnormalities, the protective role of CD200 in autoimmune hair loss, triggers and associations of telogen effluvium, genetic and hormonal factors in androgenetic alopecia, and the lack of FDA-approved treatments for alopecia areata. Additionally, it touched on the potential of hair follicle stem cells in regenerative medicine and the role of Malassezia in dandruff, while suggesting future research directions in hair biology and tissue engineering.
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