Melanogenesis Is Coupled to Murine Anagen: New Concepts for the Role of Melanocytes and Regulation of Melanogenesis in Hair Growth
TLDR Hair color production is closely linked to the active growth phase of hair in mice and may also influence hair growth itself.
In the 1993 study, researchers found that melanogenesis, the production of melanin, is strictly coupled to the anagen phase of hair growth in C57BL-6 mice. Melanin production does not occur during the catagen or telogen phases. The study indicated that the regulation of melanin synthesis and its transfer to hair bulb keratinocytes is intrinsic to the skin and is associated with the expression of the POMC gene during anagen. The research suggested that melanocytes might play a role in regulating hair growth, not just in pigment production. The study observed that melanin becomes detectable by day 4-5 of anagen and abundant by day 8-12, concluding that melanogenesis is a tightly coordinated process with potential implications for understanding hair growth regulation. The document also discusses the potential regulatory roles of cytokines and growth factors on follicular melanocytes and suggests that melanocytes may be involved in the regulation of hair growth. However, the document does not provide the number of subjects or experimental samples used in the study.
