The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Miniorgan
February 2009
in “Current Biology”
TLDR Hair follicles are complex, dynamic mini-organs that help us understand cell growth, death, migration, and differentiation, as well as tissue regeneration and tumor biology.
The 2009 study "The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Miniorgan" explored the complex biology of hair follicles, which are responsible for producing hair shafts. The study emphasized the importance of mouse models in understanding hair follicle biology, providing insights into organ induction, morphogenesis, regeneration, pigment and stem cell biology, and cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The study also detailed the process of hair follicle development, involving three phases: induction, organogenesis, and cytodifferentiation, and highlighted the role of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in determining hair follicle fate. The document also discussed the hair cycle, the role of various molecules in this process, and the role of stem cells in hair follicle maintenance and regeneration. The study concluded that the hair follicle is a clinically relevant model for studying principles of developmental, stem cell, and tumour biology, tissue regeneration, and the control of cell growth, migration, death, and differentiation.
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Cited in this study
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research Defining Hair Follicles in the Age of Stem Cell Bioengineering
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research Hair follicle stem cells: Walking the maze
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research Wnt-dependent de novo hair follicle regeneration in adult mouse skin after wounding
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research Scratching the surface of skin development
The document concludes that skin stem cells are important for hair growth and wound healing, and could be used in regenerative medicine.
research The Hair Follicle as an Estrogen Target and Source
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research Premature termination of hair follicle morphogenesis and accelerated hair follicle cycling in Iasi congenital atrichia (fzica) mice points to fuzzy as a key element of hair cycle control
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research Melanocyte Stem Cell Maintenance and Hair Graying
research Hair Follicle Pigmentation
research The transcriptional repressor CDP (Cutl1) is essential for epithelial cell differentiation of the lung and the hair follicle
research Morphogenesis and Renewal of Hair Follicles from Adult Multipotent Stem Cells
research Involvement of Follicular Stem Cells in Forming Not Only the Follicle but Also the Epidermis
research The Biology of Hair Follicles
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research Do Hair Bulb Melanocytes Undergo Apotosis During Hair Follicle Regression (Catagen)?
research Vesicle Formation and Follicular Root Sheath Separation in Mice Homozygous for Deleterious Alleles at the Balding (bal) Locus
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research The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Miniorgan
Hair follicles are complex, dynamic mini-organs that help us understand cell growth, death, migration, and differentiation, as well as tissue regeneration and tumor biology.