A Comparative Study of Skin Transcriptomes and Histological Observations for Black and White Hair Colors of Giant Panda

    November 2022 in “ Frontiers in medicine ”
    Yingyun Wang, Shangyue Liang, Shaotong Tu, Zhangqi Shen, Yanjun Dong, Gang Liu, Hao Sheng, Yipeng Jin
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    TLDR The study found that giant pandas have more melanin in black hair follicles than white, with gene expression differences that could affect hair color and skin health.
    This study investigated the skin and hair coloration of giant pandas by comparing the histology and transcriptomes of skin associated with black and white hair. The researchers found that while both black and white hair follicles contained melanin, the amount was different, with black hair follicles having more. Transcriptome sequencing revealed significant differences in gene expression between skin under black and white hair, with fewer differentially expressed genes in white skin. The analysis identified several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways related to tumor, cell adhesion, and melanocyte growth in the skin tissue samples. These findings provide insight into the genetic basis of hair color distribution and potential skin diseases in giant pandas.
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