Transgenic Flash Mice for In Vivo Quantitative Monitoring of Canonical Wnt Signaling to Track Hair Follicle Cycle Dynamics

In 2014, researchers developed a transgenic mouse model called Flash mice, which allowed for the quantitative monitoring of the canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in vivo, a key factor in hair follicle (HF) cycling. The model utilized bioluminescence imaging to live track HF cycles and study hair regenerative patterns under various conditions, including pregnancy and wound healing. The study showed that the bioluminescence signal correlated with HF cycle stages and provided a more accurate method for determining these phases than traditional methods. The initial part of the study involved 6 mice with 15 sections each, and a subsequent experiment followed 7 pregnant and 9 nonpregnant mice over 40 days to assess the impact of pregnancy on HF cycling. The results indicated that the Flash mouse model is a valuable tool for quantitatively tracking hair growth and investigating the effects of different conditions on hair cycling. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05, and the study was supported by various institutions including the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.