Overexpression Of Sonic Hedgehog Suppresses Embryonic Hair Follicle Morphogenesis

The study found that overexpression of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) in transgenic mice suppressed embryonic hair follicle morphogenesis, leading to the absence of guard, awl, and auchene hair fibers, although postnatal hair development was normal. The HK1-Shh transgenic mice showed skin anomalies, such as alopecia and increased skin proliferation, but did not develop basal cell carcinomas, indicating the importance of precise Shh expression timing and location in skin tumorigenesis. The research emphasized Shh signaling's crucial role in hair follicle development and its potential implications in skin disorders, highlighting the need for further investigation into the molecular differences between mouse and human hair follicles.