Gene Expression Profiling of the Intact Dermal Sheath Cup of Human Hair Follicles
January 2018
in “
Acta dermato-venereologica
”
TLDR Researchers found specific genes in the part of hair follicles that could help treat hair disorders.
In the 2018 study, researchers analyzed the gene expression of the dermal sheath cup (DSC) of human hair follicles from three female patients aged 30-70 years. They identified a DSC-specific gene signature, including extracellular matrix components and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists, with gremlin-2 (GREM2) being highly specific to the DSC. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-b1) was recognized as an upstream regulator of these signature genes. The study also compared the DSC gene expression with that of the dermal papilla (DP) and upper dermal sheath (UDS), finding 32 DSC signature genes and 113 DP signature genes. The findings suggest that TGF-b1, along with Wnt and BMP signaling pathways, may play a role in the functioning of the DSC during the hair cycle and could be important for developing treatments for hair-related disorders.
