Faculty Opinions Recommendation of Hair Cycle Resting Phase Is Regulated by Cyclic Epithelial FGF18 Signaling

The study by Kimura-Ueki et al. explored the role of fibroblast growth factor (Fgf)18 in the telogen stage of the hair cycle, particularly its function in maintaining the prolonged quiescence of the hair follicle bulge during this phase. The research demonstrated that reducing Fgf18 expression led to a progressively shorter telogen phase, resulting in a distinct striped hair phenotype. This finding highlighted the importance of Fgf18 in regulating the hair cycle, with potential implications for understanding human hair growth patterns, although the study did not directly address this aspect. The comparison with bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) provided additional insights into the regulation of telogen phases.