Heparanase 1: A Key Participant of Inner Root Sheath Differentiation Program and Hair Follicle Homeostasis
June 2008
in “
Experimental Dermatology
”
TLDR Heparanase is essential for hair follicle health and inner root sheath differentiation.
The study investigated the role of heparanase, a heparan sulphate endo-glycosidase, in human hair biology, particularly its expression in hair follicles. It was found that heparanase was primarily located in the inner root sheath (IRS) of human hair follicles and was restricted to the anagen phase. Inhibition of heparanase in in vitro cultured hair follicles led to a catagen-like process, characterized by hair shaft retreat, decreased Ki67-positive cells, formation of an epithelial strand, and loss of IRS markers. These findings suggested that heparanase played a crucial role in IRS differentiation and hair follicle homeostasis.
