Organization and Expression of Hair Follicle Genes

The document discussed the expression and organization of hair follicle genes, highlighting that 50-100 proteins make up the final hair fiber. It proposed modifying the nomenclature for these proteins and noted that hair gene families are clustered in the genome, suggesting a general control mechanism. Trichohyalin, distinct from hair proteins, was found in the same chromosome locus as profilaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin. The study aimed to identify controls for keratin intermediate filaments (IFs) and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) in the hair cortex. Promoter region comparisons revealed hair-specific motifs. In sheep, distinct expression patterns in hair differentiation were observed, and transgenic experiments in mice and sheep provided insights into hair growth regulation. Cysteine supplementation in sheep altered mRNA levels and cell ratios, prompting further investigation into the molecular basis of this effect.