A Probabilistic Boolean Model on Hair Follicle Cell Fate Regulation by TGF-Beta

The study developed a probabilistic Boolean network model to explore hair follicle cell fate regulation, focusing on the roles of TGF-β and its interactions with BMP and TNF. The model, refined with single-cell RNA sequencing data, suggested that TGF-β's role in cell fate is influenced by its concentration, acting as a threshold-like switch between promoting division or apoptosis. It predicted that TNF might be more effective than TGF-β in initiating apoptosis during the catagen phase. The study highlighted the complex interplay of signals in hair follicle cycling and suggested that both TGF-β and TNF play crucial roles in apoptosis initiation, with TNF being more dominant. The research emphasized the need for further functional experiments and proposed expanding the model to include additional signals to better understand hair follicle growth dynamics.