Activation of Id2 Gene Regulatory Network Ruling Quiescence of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The study investigated the role of the Id2 gene in hair follicle stem cells (hfSCs) by using a gain of function approach in transgenic mice. It was found that overexpression of Id2 led to prolonged telogen and delayed anagen activation, maintaining stem cell quiescence. RNA-seq analysis revealed that about 10% of genes were affected by Id2 overexpression, with approximately half overlapping with genes influenced by the BMP pathway, indicating a synergistic relationship. However, the other half of the genes appeared to function independently of BMP signaling, suggesting that Id2 also played a role in a separate gene regulatory network in quiescent bulge.