Gender Differences in Mouse Skin Morphology and Specific Effects of Sex Steroids and Dehydroepiandrosterone

January 2005 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Lamia Azzi‐Martin, Mohamed Elalfy, Céline Martel, Fernand Labrie

sex steroids dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA 17β-estradiol E2 dihydrotestosterone DHT gonadectomy GDX androgens estrogens sex hormones estradiol testosterone castration male hormones female hormones

From the encyclopedia

dehydroepiandrosterone →

Estradiol →

an estrogen promoting hair regrowth more commonly used in women

Studysummary Male and female mice have different skin thickness, and hormones affect their skin and hair growth differently.

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The study examined the effects of sex steroids and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on skin morphology and hair growth in male and female mice, involving 70 mice. It found that male mice had thicker skin overall, while females had thicker epidermis and hypodermis. Gonadectomy (GDX) led to decreased epidermal thickness in females but increased it with 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment in both sexes. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and DHEA increased dermal thickness, especially in GDX females, and all three hormones reduced hypodermal thickness. GDX also triggered rapid hair growth, with thicker hair shafts in females. The study concluded that androgens and estrogens played specific roles in skin layer morphology and hair growth, with DHEA acting through both androgenic and estrogenic pathways.

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Research cited in this study

6 / 6 results

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515 citations , April 2003 in “Endocrine Reviews”

This review discusses hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women, emphasizing DHEA's unique ability to convert into sex steroids only in targeted tissues, and reports no new clinical results.

research Estrogen Receptor Alpha, But Not Estrogen Receptor Beta, Is Involved in the Regulation of Hair Follicle Cycling and Epidermis Thickness in Male Mice

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Estrogen receptor α controls hair growth cycles and skin thickness in male mice.

research 17α-Estradiol Induces Aromatase Activity in Intact Human Anagen Hair Follicles Ex Vivo

94 citations , August 2002 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This study found that 17α‐estradiol increases aromatase activity in female hair follicles, which may explain its beneficial effects in treating androgenetic alopecia.

research 17β-Estradiol and ICI-182780 Regulate the Hair Follicle Cycle in Mice Through an Estrogen Receptor-α Pathway

71 citations , February 2000 in “Endocrinology and metabolism/American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism”

This study found that topical estradiol inhibits hair growth in mice by preventing the hair follicle's transition from resting to growth phase, a process reversible with an estrogen receptor antagonist.

research Intracrinology and the Skin

82 citations , January 2000 in “Hormone Research in Paediatrics”

This study describes the enzymatic processes through which DHEA is converted to active sex steroids in human skin, highlighting an androgenic effect on sebaceous glands and estrogenic effects in the vagina.

research Androgens and Human Hair Growth

157 citations , April 1994 in “Clinical endocrinology”

Androgens can cause hair growth in some areas and hair loss on the scalp.