Differential Expression of a Gene Homologous to a G-Alpha Protein Gene in Neonatal Mouse Skin During Development of Hair Follicles
January 2001
in “
Journal of dermatological science
”
TLDR The G(S) alpha subunit gene may help start hair follicle growth in newborn mice.
The study investigated gene expression in neonatal mouse skin during hair follicle development, identifying a 248-bp message expressed predominantly on days 2 and 3 after birth, with weaker expression on days 1, 4, and 5. This gene, localized mainly in the dermal papilla, showed 99% identity with the mouse G(S) alpha subunit, which is involved in signal transduction. The timing and location of its expression suggest that the G(S) alpha subunit may play a role in signaling the proliferation of epithelial cells in the follicle bulb, potentially initiating hair follicle growth.