Hair follicles supply a crucial brain development protein to the brain via platelets.
December 2008 in “The Internet journal of surgery” A 16-year-old girl with a hair-eating disorder needed surgery to remove a hairball from her stomach and small bowel.
321 citations,
January 2012 in “Cell stem cell” TGF-β2 helps activate hair follicle stem cells by counteracting BMP signals.
286 citations,
June 2012 in “Nature Immunology” Hair follicles help attract immune cells to the skin during stress.
277 citations,
February 2013 in “Science Signaling” Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species are essential for skin and hair development.
276 citations,
April 2003 in “Molecular endocrinology” Vitamin D is important for bones, hair, blood pressure, and breast development.
245 citations,
October 2015 in “Nature medicine” Hair follicle-derived IL-7 and IL-15 are crucial for maintaining skin-resident memory T cells and could be targeted for treating skin diseases and lymphoma.
221 citations,
July 2012 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” BMAL1 controls skin cell growth and UV damage risk, peaking at night.
214 citations,
April 2017 in “Cell” Different small areas within hair follicles send specific signals that control what type of cells stem cells become.
188 citations,
June 1998 in “Molecular cell” Researchers created a mouse with the same mutation as humans with trichothiodystrophy, showing similar symptoms and confirming the condition is due to defects in DNA repair and gene activity.
181 citations,
February 2019 in “Cell” Innate lymphoid cells help control skin bacteria by regulating sebaceous glands.
173 citations,
August 2015 in “Developmental cell” The study identified unique genes in hair follicle cells and their environment, suggesting these genes help organize cells for hair growth.
148 citations,
October 2008 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Mice without the vitamin D receptor are more prone to UV-induced skin tumors.
143 citations,
May 2017 in “Nature cell biology” Wounded skin cells can revert to stem cells and help heal.
140 citations,
February 2014 in “Neuron” Delta opioid receptors help regulate touch sensation by reducing neurotransmitter release in the spinal cord.
127 citations,
January 2008 in “PloS one” Vitamin D receptor helps control hair growth and could be used to treat certain skin tumors.
126 citations,
August 2018 in “Molecular Systems Biology” Fibroblast state switching is crucial for skin healing and development.
124 citations,
January 2012 in “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology” Endocannabinoids help control mast cell activity in human skin.
117 citations,
April 2008 in “Developmental biology” Ectodysplasin inhibits Wnt signaling to help form hair follicles.
110 citations,
April 2020 in “Advances in Wound Care” Nanotechnology shows promise for better chronic wound healing but needs more research.
106 citations,
February 2014 in “eLife” Lanceolate complexes in mouse hair follicles are essential for touch and depend on specific cells for maintenance and regeneration.
101 citations,
March 2019 in “Cell Stem Cell” Certain immune cells in the skin release a protein that stops hair growth by keeping hair stem cells inactive.
96 citations,
December 2018 in “Immunity” Targeting TGFβ can improve skin immunity in older people.
91 citations,
February 2009 in “Journal of biological chemistry/The Journal of biological chemistry” DGAT1 enzyme is crucial for healthy skin and hair by regulating retinoid levels.
89 citations,
August 2013 in “PloS one” Androgen receptors are active in many tissues of both male and female mice, not just reproductive organs.
85 citations,
January 2018 in “Cell stem cell” Different signals work together to change gene activity and guide hair follicle stem cells to become specific cell types.
75 citations,
September 2016 in “EMBO journal” PRC2 is essential for maintaining intestinal cell balance and aiding regeneration after damage.
75 citations,
September 2007 in “Journal of Heredity” FGF5 gene mutations cause long hair in domestic cats.
74 citations,
July 2008 in “Journal of Dermatological Case Reports” Trichoscopy is a quick and easy way to diagnose most genetic hair problems without invasive methods.
70 citations,
February 2016 in “EMBO reports” Scientists found a specific group of itch-sensing nerve cells in mice important for feeling itch but not for sensing heat or touch.