Melatonin Regulates the Periodic Growth of Cashmere by Upregulating the Expression of Wnt10b and β-Catenin in Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goats
July 2021
in “
Frontiers in genetics
”
TLDR Melatonin makes cashmere grow earlier and more by increasing certain gene activity in goats.
The research conducted on 12 adult female Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goats found that melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, significantly influences the periodic growth of cashmere. The study showed that melatonin upregulates the expression of Wnt10b and β-catenin, proteins crucial for hair growth, and promotes the development of secondary hair follicles. The melatonin-implanted goats experienced cashmere growth 2 months earlier than the control group and had a significantly higher number of secondary hair follicles. The study also found that melatonin concentration in the implanted group was approximately 10.42 times higher than in the control group. The results suggest that melatonin could potentially enhance cashmere production by regulating the expression of genes related to hair follicle development.