February 2025 in “Archives animal breeding/Archiv für Tierzucht” This study found that certain gene polymorphisms in keratin 27 and ELOVL4 are linked to improved cashmere fineness and production traits in Liaoning cashmere goats.
January 2015 in “Chinese Veterinary Science” This study observed distinct changes in the ultrastructure of Hexi cashmere goat hair follicles throughout the year, highlighting stages with specific cellular and structural characteristics.
8 citations
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May 2004 in “Textile Research Journal” This study reports promising preliminary results for using monoclonal antibodies to identify cashmere fibers, highlighting observed immunological differences from wool keratins.
January 2014 in “Sen'i Gakkaishi” This study highlights that dyeing and other processing methods can impact the identification of animal species from hair fibers using an amino acid sequence analysis technique.
September 2025 in “Animals” This study identified novel genetic variations in the KRTAP22-2 gene among eight sheep breeds but found no association between these genotypes and wool fibre traits, indicating possible species-specific differences compared to goats.
1 citations
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January 2014 in “Sen'i Gakkaishi” This study developed a quantitative method using SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy to accurately determine animal species from hair fibers, validated against standard samples and optical microscopy.
January 2014 in “China Feed” This study found that a higher relative expression of the keratin associated protein 8.1 gene in Liaoning cashmere goats' skin and hair follicles was associated with thinner cashmere fiber.
Researchers developed a method to identify and measure different animal hair fibers in textiles, successfully distinguishing materials like cashmere from cheaper fibers.
2 citations
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August 2023 in “The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences” This study identified 1277 genomic regions selected for traits in indigenous Chinese goats, including cashmere fiber, reproduction, size, and high-altitude adaptation, revealing key candidate genes for these phenotypes through whole-genome resequencing.
83 citations
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May 2011 in “Experimental Dermatology” In this study, researchers identified nine new sheep keratin genes, highlighting species-specific differences in the expression and compartmentalization of wool-related keratin genes compared to humans.
10 citations
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June 2024 in “Frontiers in Genetics” This study analyzed RNA-seq data from various animal breeds and suggested that similar molecular mechanisms may underlie wool fineness in different sheep breeds. Researchers identified 32 candidate genes related to hair follicle regulation, providing insights for molecular breeding and evolutionary studies.
This study identified various non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and mRNAs differentially expressed in skin tissues of two coat types of Jinlan Cashmere Goats, suggesting potential regulatory networks that could inform precision breeding strategies to improve cashmere quality and yield.
January 2012 in “Heilongjiang xumu shouyi” This study found that EGF and KGF were expressed at different levels in the skin of Gansu alpine Merino sheep, suggesting these factors influence wool fineness.
41 citations
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January 2001 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” 19 citations
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May 2016 in “Cytotechnology” March 1994 in “Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production” This study investigated hair fibre growth in Angora and Cashmere goats, finding differences in growth rates and seasonal dependencies, and examined the effects of prolactin and melatonin on protein deposition in hair follicles.
January 2013 in “Wool textile journal” 6 citations
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May 2012 in “The Journal of Dermatology” This letter reports on a case of intractable ophiasis-type alopecia areata that was presumably improved by fexofenadine, but no new clinical results are presented.
23 citations
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May 2020 in “Cell Death and Disease” This study generated FGF5-knockout Dorper sheep using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, resulting in significantly increased fine-wool and active hair-follicle density, and explored downstream signaling pathways for potential applications in androgen alopecia treatment.
This study found that melatonin upregulates LncRNA16913.1, which sequesters chi-miR-195-5p to release FZD6 and enhance fibroblast proliferation in cashmere goat skin, suggesting a regulatory mechanism within the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA cascade in vitro.
January 2026 in “Frontiers in Animal Science” In this study, researchers assessed wool quality in sheep and found that the Gentile di Puglia breed, a Merino-derived Italian breed, exhibits finer wool through higher secondary follicle density compared to the non-merinized Sarda breed, suggesting its potential for sustainable wool production.
11 citations
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June 2017 in “Asian-Australasian journal of animal sciences” In this study, researchers found that the FoxN1, FoxE1, and FoxI3 genes are likely involved in hair follicle growth and development in cashmere goat fetuses.
January 2011 in “Zhongguo nongye Kexue” This study successfully established a transgenic sheep fibroblast cell line expressing the spider dragline silk protein gene, laying groundwork for developing transgenic sheep with this capability in hair follicles.
48 citations
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February 2010 in “Molecular biology reports” This study found that KAP7.1 and KAP8.2 genes were significantly more expressed in secondary hair follicles than primary follicles, suggesting their role in regulating cashmere fiber diameter.
6 citations
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June 2012 in “PloS one” This study identified a novel SCF mRNA splice variant in white merino sheep skin, which may play a role in hair follicle melanogenesis.
December 2020 in “Research Square (Research Square)” This study identifies a strong association between a 505-bp indel mutation in the FGF5 gene and cashmere growth in goats, suggesting potential use as a genetic marker in breeding programs.
October 2023 in “International journal of molecular sciences” In this study, researchers analyzed the skin proteome of Alpine Merino sheep to identify proteins and pathways related to wool fiber diameter, finding that cyclic adenosine monophosphate and certain signaling pathways may play a role in this trait.
1 citations
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January 2020 in “Qucosa (Saxon State and University Library Dresden)” This paper conducts a scientific evaluation of fine hair issues in American bovine hides and suggests measures to minimize this seasonal problem, particularly in winter production.
1 citations
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October 2022 in “PubMed” This study identified 674 differentially expressed proteins in the skin tissues of male and female Chinese merino sheep, suggesting gender-specific molecular mechanisms that may affect wool traits.
This study achieved over 99% antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by modifying camel hair with Rose Bengal, allowing for color customization and strong mechanical properties under visible light, thus suggesting a high-value approach to diversifying camel hair textiles.