To Be Hairless or Wise? The Role of Hairless Protein in Hair Follicle Regeneration

The document reports on research that identified the role of the protein hairless in hair follicle regeneration. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that hairless represses the expression of another protein, wise, which is a modulator of Wnt signaling. This repression is crucial for allowing hair follicles to enter the regrowth phase. Mutations in the hairless gene result in a defect where, after initial hair growth, once a strand is shed, it cannot grow back. This is because, without hairless, wise accumulates and prevents the hair cycle from progressing. The research, conducted by Catherine Thompson and colleagues from the Kennedy Krieger Research Institute in Maryland, USA, enhances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating hair growth and could contribute to developing treatments for baldness.