The Developmental Basis of Fingerprint Pattern Formation and Variation

    February 2023 in “ Cell ”
    James D. Glover, Zoe R. Sudderick, Barbara Shih, Cameron Batho-Samblas, Laura Charlton, Andrew L. Krause, Calum Anderson, Jon Riddell, Adam Balic, Jinxi Li, Václav Klika, Thomas E. Woolley, Eamonn A. Gaffney, Andrea Corsinotti, Richard A. Anderson, Luke Johnston, Sara Brown, Sijie Wu, Yong Chen, Michael L. Crichton, Denis J. Headon
    TLDR Fingerprints form uniquely before birth due to specific genetic pathways and local signals.
    Fingerprints are unique patterns formed prenatally through a truncated hair follicle developmental program without mesenchymal condensate recruitment. Their spatial pattern is established by a Turing reaction-diffusion system involving EDAR, WNT, and BMP pathways, leading to bands of epithelial proliferation. Ridge formation occurs in waves from variable initiation sites influenced by local signaling and digit anatomy, resulting in the diverse and unique fingerprint patterns.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    3 / 3 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    4 / 4 results

      community Tom Cruise at the Mission Impossible premiere hair.(He's 61 y/o)

      in Chat  392 upvotes 8 months ago
      The conversation speculates on whether Tom Cruise uses hair loss treatments like Finasteride or Dutasteride, with some suggesting he naturally has good hair like Brad Pitt, while others joke about Scientology or genetics playing a role. Specific treatments mentioned include Finasteride, Dutasteride, and possibly high-quality hair products or procedures like PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma).

      community About the CBD regrowth study : just a few remarks

      in Research/Science  167 upvotes 3 years ago
      CBD in an emu and lanolin oil preparation showed a 100% increase in hair growth, but the effectiveness may partly come from the oils. Users discussed proper CBD dosage, preparation methods, and skepticism about the study's quality.

      community 2 and a half years progress and update

      in Progress Pictures  317 upvotes 11 months ago
      After 2.5 years of using 1mg finasteride daily, 5% minoxidil foam twice daily, and weekly micro-needling, the user reports thicker, healthier hair without further loss. They noticed initial regrowth at 3 months, with significant improvement up to 18 months, and no negative side effects from the treatment.

    Related Research

    1 / 1 results