Planar Cell Polarity Cadherin Celsr1 Regulates Skin Hair Patterning in the Mouse

The study explored the role of the Celsr1 gene in hair patterning in mice by creating Celsr1 conditional mutant mice, which showed a significant reduction in Celsr1 mRNA levels. Homozygous mutant mice displayed abnormal hair patterns, such as whorls and rosettes, due to disrupted planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. This disruption was similar to mutations in the Frizzled6 gene, indicating that Celsr1 and Frizzled6 were part of a conserved PCP pathway crucial for regulating hair patterning. The research underscored the importance of Celsr1 in maintaining proper hair orientation and its potential interactions with other PCP components.