Involvement of Hair Follicles in Skin Tumorigenesis, Skin Homeostasis, and Wound Healing
January 2025
in “
Medical Research Archives
”
TLDR Hair follicles are vital for skin health, cancer prevention, and wound healing.
Hair follicles play crucial roles in skin tumorigenesis, homeostasis, and wound healing by housing epidermal stem cells that can differentiate into normal or malignant skin cells, potentially leading to skin cancers if mutated. Key signaling pathways like Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch are involved in hair follicle development, and their dysregulation can result in cancer. Hair follicle stem cells contribute to epidermis and hair follicle regeneration, enhancing wound healing by providing cells for tissue repair and influencing the inflammatory response through cytokines and growth factors. However, damage or improper activation of hair follicles can lead to abnormal scarring or fibrosis, resulting in thick scars instead of functional skin. This review underscores the complex roles of hair follicles in maintaining skin health.