The Distribution of Estrogen Receptor β Is Distinct to That of Estrogen Receptor α and the Androgen Receptor in Human Skin and the Pilosebaceous Unit

The study conducted in 2003 involved 12 patients and found that Estrogen Receptor ß (ERß) is the main mediator of estrogen action in human skin and hair follicles, not Estrogen Receptor α (ERα). ERß was the predominant steroid receptor in both male and female nonbalding scalp skin and was found in the cell nuclei of the outer root sheath, epithelial matrix, and dermal papilla cells of the hair follicle. ERα did not stain the hair follicle cells, and the Androgen Receptor (AR) only stained dermal papilla cells. The study also found that ERβ was strongly expressed in the blood vessels of human skin, but not in the epidermis, dermis, or the pilosebaceous unit. Androgens were not required for scalp hair growth, but necessary for androgenetic alopecia, suggesting that estrogens or androgenic metabolites might be more important for hair growth control in the human scalp. Further research was recommended to understand the role of ERβ in human skin, particularly in relation to the expression of AR and modulation of androgen action pathways in the pilosebaceous unit.