Dlx3 Is a Crucial Regulator of Hair Follicle Differentiation and Cycling
August 2008
in “
Development
”
Dlx3 hair follicle differentiation hair follicle cycling alopecia hair shaft formation inner root sheath formation cortex differentiation Wnt signaling Hoxc13 Gata3 BMP signaling catagen follicles telogen bulge stem cells Tricho-Dento-Osseous syndrome hair morphogenesis hair loss hair growth cycle hair formation hair regeneration
TLDR Dlx3 is essential for hair growth and regeneration.
The study demonstrated that Dlx3 was a crucial transcriptional regulator for hair formation and regeneration. Ablation of Dlx3 in the epidermis led to complete alopecia due to the failure of hair shaft and inner root sheath formation, caused by abnormal cortex differentiation. Dlx3 was positioned downstream of Wnt signaling and upstream of transcription factors like Hoxc13 and Gata3. It was also regulated by BMP signaling during hair morphogenesis. Mutant catagen follicles showed delayed regression and persistent proliferation, and loss of Dlx3 in telogen bulge stem cells disrupted BMP signaling, preventing hair follicle growth cycle re-initiation. The findings linked Dlx3 to hair follicle abnormalities in humans with Tricho-Dento-Osseous syndrome, establishing its essential role in hair morphogenesis, differentiation, and cycling.
