New Frontiers in Human Hair Follicle Neuroendocrinology
August 2006
in “
Experimental dermatology
”
TLDR Human scalp hair follicles can produce and respond to several hormones, affecting hair growth and pigmentation.
The study explored the neuroendocrinology of human scalp hair follicles, revealing that these follicles synthesize and respond to various hormones such as CRH, ACTH, alpha-MSH, cortisol, melatonin, and prolactin, indicating a functional equivalent of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Additionally, the follicles expressed erythropoietin and its receptor, particularly under hypoxic conditions, and suggested the presence of a TRH-TSH system. The research also found that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibited hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair follicle pigmentation. These findings highlighted new frontiers in hair follicle endocrinology and suggested that organ-cultured human hair follicles could be valuable for broader dermatoendocrinology research.
