The Incidental Pore: CaV1.2 and Stem Cell Activation in Quiescent Hair Follicles

Yucel and colleagues discovered that CaV1.2, a subunit of a voltage-gated L-type calcium channel, was expressed in hair follicle stem cells and played a role in the transition of quiescent telogen hair follicles to the active anagen stage. This process was found to be independent of calcium flux, suggesting a novel mechanism for stem cell activation in hair follicles. This finding provided new insights into the regulation of hair follicle cycles and the role of calcium channels in stem cell biology.