Whn and mHa3 Are Components of the Genetic Hierarchy Controlling Hair Follicle Differentiation

The study explored the role of the Whn gene in hair follicle differentiation, focusing on nude mice with alopecia. It found that Whn was essential for the expression of the mHa3 keratin gene in pelage hair follicles and tongue papillae, but not in vibrissae and nail regions, suggesting cell type-specific transcriptional regulation. In Whn−/− mice, the absence of mHa3 expression led to structural deficiencies in pelage hair, underscoring the critical role of Whn in epidermal differentiation and highlighting molecular differences between hair follicle types.