TLDR Scientists successfully edited a goat's genes to grow more and longer cashmere hair.
In 2021, researchers used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to genetically modify Cashmere goats, aiming to enhance their hair growth rate and density. The Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) gene was inserted into the goat's genome, replacing the fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) site. This resulted in increased VEGF expression and decreased FGF5 expression, which led to improved cashmere yield and fibre length. The study involved 131 recipient goats and resulted in the birth of one gene-edited goat. The gene-edited goat showed more vigorous cashmere synthesis than the control goats. The study concluded that the downregulation of FGF5 prolonged the growth period of hair follicles and increased the length of the cashmere. However, the live birth rate was only 1.5%, indicating a need for further improvements in the reprogramming efficiency.
50 citations,
February 2013 in “BMC evolutionary biology” Cetaceans lost hair due to changes in the Hr and FGF5 genes.
23 citations,
June 2012 in “Molecular Biology Reports” VEGF stimulates hair cell growth and increases growth receptor levels through a specific signaling pathway.
75 citations,
September 2007 in “Journal of Heredity” FGF5 gene mutations cause long hair in domestic cats.
March 2024 in “Agriculture” CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing shows promise for improving sheep and goat breeding but faces challenges with efficiency and accuracy.
47 citations,
December 2019 in “Biomaterials” Scientists have created a new hair loss treatment using ultrasound to deliver gene-editing particles, which resulted in up to 90% hair regrowth in mice.
June 2020 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Hair growth treatment results vary because each patient's platelets release different levels of growth factors.
3 citations,
April 2022 in “Bioengineering” Ultrasound can help deliver genes to cells to stimulate tissue regeneration and enhance hair growth, but more research is needed to perfect the method.
3 citations,
October 2023 in “Military Medical Research/Military medical research” Regulatory T cells help heal skin and grow hair, and their absence can lead to healing issues and hair loss.
