The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Mini-Organ

February 2009 in “ Current Biology ”

Marlon R. Schneider, Ruth Schmidt-Ullrich, Ralf Paus

TLDR Hair follicles are complex, dynamic mini-organs that help us understand cell growth, death, migration, and differentiation, as well as tissue regeneration and tumor biology.

The 2009 study "The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Miniorgan" explored the complex biology of hair follicles, which are responsible for producing hair shafts. The study emphasized the importance of mouse models in understanding hair follicle biology, providing insights into organ induction, morphogenesis, regeneration, pigment and stem cell biology, and cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The study also detailed the process of hair follicle development, involving three phases: induction, organogenesis, and cytodifferentiation, and highlighted the role of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in determining hair follicle fate. The document also discussed the hair cycle, the role of various molecules in this process, and the role of stem cells in hair follicle maintenance and regeneration. The study concluded that the hair follicle is a clinically relevant model for studying principles of developmental, stem cell, and tumour biology, tissue regeneration, and the control of cell growth, migration, death, and differentiation.

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Research cited in this study

41 / 41 results

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The study found that bioengineered hair follicles work when using cells from the same species but have issues when combining human and mouse cells.

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335 citations , March 2004 in “Development”

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