SFRP2 augments Wnt/β-catenin signalling in cultured dermal papilla cells
April 2016
in “Experimental Dermatology”
TLDR SFRP2 boosts Wnt3a/β-catenin signals in hair growth cells, with stronger effects in beard cells than scalp cells.
The 2016 study investigated the role of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) in hair growth, finding that SFRP2 enhances Wnt3a-mediated β-catenin signalling in human dermal papilla cells, which are crucial for hair growth. The research also discovered that this signalling was significantly higher in beard dermal papilla cells, which have higher SFRP2 expression, compared to scalp hair follicle cells. Additionally, it was shown that SFRP2 levels correlate with the hair-inducing ability of 3D cultured dermal papilla cells. The study used scalp specimens from patients undergoing hair transplantation surgery and beard specimens obtained by punch biopsies.
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