I . The purpose of this paper is to propose the measurement of scalp hair diameter as a useful index of protein synthesis in the management of cases of malnutrition. 2. Observations on scalp hair from ten control infants showed that each hair tapered very gradually towards its free end. 3. Observations on scalp hair from twenty-six infants with kwashiorkor showed that each hair narrowed towards...

Patched (Ptch) receptors are critical negative regulators of Hedgehog signaling, where Ptch1 loss causes basal cell carcinoma and Ptch1;Ptch2 loss disrupts skin and hair follicle development. Adolphe et al. use single molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization to show quantitatively that Ptch receptors create a Hedgehog signaling gradient that may specify hair follicle development.

6-Gingerol is the major active constituent of ginger. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of 6-Gingerol on hair growth. Mice were randomly divided into five groups; after hair depilation (day 0), mice were treated with saline, or different concentrations of 6-Gingerol for 11 days. The histomorphological characteristics of the growing hair follicle...

According to the growth state of hair follicles, the hair cycle is divided into the anagen, catagen and telogen phases. A number of biological factors have been shown to synchronize with the hair cycle. As an important component of the hair follicle, the extracellular matrix is regulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases; TIM...

The mammalian hair follicle unit consists of a central follicle and a series of associated structures: sebaceous glands, arrector pili muscles, Merkel cells, and sensory nerve endings. The architecture of this multicellular structure is highly polarized with respect to the body axes. Previous work has implicated Frizzled6 (Fz6)-mediated planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling in the initial specif...

A recent series of papers, including Festa et al. (2011) in this issue, has revealed unexpected interdependent relationships among cell populations residing in and around the hair follicle. These interactions between different lineages of stem cells are crucial for hair follicle growth and cycling and point to a complex crosstalk in stem cell niches.

The major histological components of the hair follicle are the hair cortex and cuticle. The hair cuticle cells encase and protect the cortex and undergo a different developmental program to that of the cortex. We report the molecular characterization of a set of evolutionarily conserved hair genes which are transcribed in the hair cuticle late in follicle development. Two genes were isolated an...

The dermal papilla is a cluster of mesenchymal cells located at the base of the hair follicle which have a number of important roles in the regulation of hair growth. As a consequence, in vitro models of these cells are widely used to study the molecular mechanisms which underlie hair follicle induction, growth and maintenance. While dermal papilla from rodent hair follicles can be digested pri...

Adult stem cells are essential for tissue renewal, regeneration, and repair, and their expansion in culture is of paramount importance for regenerative medicine. Using the whisker follicle of the rat as a model system, we demonstrate that (i) clonogenicity is an intrinsic property of the adult stem cells of the hair follicle; (ii) after cultivation for >140 doublings, these stem cells, transpla...

OBJECTIVES Chronic liver disease has become a major health problem that causes serious damage to human health. Since the existing treatment effect was not ideal, we need to seek new treatment methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS We utilized the gene recombination technology to obtain the human hair mesenchymal stem cells which overexpression of human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF). Furthermore, we...