The Post-Terminal Differentiation Fate of RNAs Revealed by Next-Generation Sequencing

The study revealed that hair shafts are a rich and stable source of various RNA species, including mRNA and microRNA, which can be extracted and analyzed using next-generation sequencing techniques. The research demonstrated that hair shafts contain lineage-specific RNA and created a small RNA library highlighting the presence of microRNAs, keratins, and keratin-binding proteins. The study found that hair segments representing up to a year of growth contain extractable RNA, suggesting potential applications in personalized medicine and retrospective screening. Additionally, it was noted that nails, another keratinized tissue, also retain RNA.