Identifying Critical Cell Types and Gene Regulatory Pathways for Hair and Skin Disease

Matched single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles from human scalp have been used to create gene regulatory maps of various cell types within the hair follicle niche. By integrating these data with existing genome-wide association studies, researchers have been able to prioritize specific cell types, genes, and causal variants that play a role in the pathobiology of androgenetic alopecia, eczema, and other complex traits. This approach helps in identifying critical cell types and gene regulatory pathways involved in hair and skin diseases.