TLDR Notch signaling is essential for healthy skin and hair follicle maintenance.
The 2011 study investigated the role of Notch signaling in late-stage epidermal differentiation and postnatal hair cycle homeostasis. Using genetically modified mice, the researchers found that Notch signaling is crucial for maintaining normal hair growth and cycle progression. Inhibition of Notch signaling led to a delay in hair follicle differentiation, an extended anagen phase, and eventually hair loss. The study also found that the absence of Pofut1, a critical component of the Notch signaling pathway, led to abnormalities in the granular layer of the epidermis, altered filaggrin processing, and aberrant telogen morphology. These findings suggest that Notch signaling is essential for the homeostasis of bulge stem cells during the hair cycle transition and that its loss leads to DNA damage response and loss of stem cell characteristics.
95 citations,
July 2010 in “Genes & development” Notch/CSL signaling controls hair follicle differentiation through Wnt5a and FoxN1.
253 citations,
April 2008 in “Current opinion in cell biology” Notch signalling helps skin cells differentiate and prevents tumors.
21 citations,
May 2022 in “Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology” Hair growth and health are influenced by factors like age, environment, and nutrition, and are controlled by various molecular pathways. Red light can promote hair growth, and understanding these processes can help treat hair-related diseases.
21 citations,
May 2016 in “Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine” The study investigated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) during the hair cycle in mice. It found that MMP-2 and MMP-9 had elevated mRNA and protein expression levels during the anagen phase and decreased levels during the catagen and telogen phases. Their activities fluctuated throughout the hair cycle. TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression levels were negatively correlated with MMP-9 and MMP-2, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were present in all hair follicle structures, while MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were localized to specific areas. These findings suggested that MMP-2 and MMP-9 played significant roles in the hair growth cycle.
April 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Wnt ligands, produced by dermal papilla cells, are essential for adult hair growth and regeneration.
