Tissue Regeneration: Hair Follicle as a Model

The study explored the role of Stat3 in hair follicle regeneration and wound healing using keratinocyte-specific Stat3 knockout mice. These mice initially developed normal skin and hair but failed to progress beyond the first hair cycle, resulting in alopecia and skin ulcers as they aged. Stat3 was found to be crucial for the transition of hair follicles into the second anagen phase and for effective keratinocyte migration during wound healing. Despite normal initial skin morphogenesis, Stat3 disruption led to severe skin conditions and delayed wound healing. The study highlighted the importance of Stat3 in keratinocyte function and hair follicle cycling, with implications for conditions like chronic ulcers and alopecia.