Quercetin Promotes Production of Secondary Hair Follicle Stem Cells in Cashmere Goat: A Mechanistic Study

This study found that quercetin significantly promotes the proliferation and inhibits the apoptosis of secondary hair follicle stem cells (SHFSCs) in Arbas cashmere goats. Treatment with 10 μg/mL quercetin for 48 hours increased the proportion of S-phase cells and upregulated PCNA and TERT levels, while downregulating apoptosis-related genes like BAX, TP53, and CASP3. Quercetin activated the PI3K–Akt, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling pathways, enhanced mitochondrial function, and increased the secretion of growth factors such as VEGF, FGF, and HGF. These findings suggest that quercetin could be a potential strategy for enhancing cashmere production by regulating SHFSC activity.