A Mutation in MAP2 Is Associated With Prenatal Hair Follicle Density

The study identified a mutation in the microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) gene that was associated with hair follicle density in pigs, specifically a missense mutation of A-to-G at rs328005415, which resulted in a valine-to-methionine substitution. This mutation was linked to a hairless phenotype observed at a relatively high frequency in one pig herd. The research highlighted that the critical period for hair follicle formation in pigs occurred during embryonic days 39-45, with day 41 being particularly significant. The findings suggested that pigs could serve as a valuable model for studying hair morphogenesis and hair loss in humans due to the high genetic homology between the two species.