The Hair Follicle: A Paradoxical Androgen Target Organ
January 2000
in “Hormone Research in Paediatrics”
TLDR Androgens can both promote and prevent hair growth due to differences in gene expression in hair follicles.
The document from January 1, 2000, examines the contradictory effects of androgens on hair growth, noting that androgens can both stimulate hair growth in certain body areas and cause hair loss on the scalp, a condition known as androgenetic alopecia. It identifies the dermal papilla as the key site of androgen action, where androgens bind to receptors and influence the production of paracrine factors. Studies showed that dermal papilla cells from androgen-sensitive areas have androgen receptors and vary in their ability to form 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which correlates with hair growth patterns seen in individuals with 5α-reductase deficiency. The document suggests that the differences in hair follicle responses are due to differential gene expression, likely established during embryogenesis. It also discusses the role of paracrine factors and the SCF/KIT pathway in hair follicle behavior, and how these findings could inform treatments for hair disorders related to androgen levels.
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research The Hair Follicle: A Paradoxical Androgen Target Organ
Androgens can both promote and prevent hair growth due to differences in gene expression in hair follicles.
research Balding hair follicle dermal papilla cells contain higher levels of androgen receptors than those from non-balding scalp
Cells from balding scalps have more androgen receptors than cells from non-balding scalps.
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