Androgenetic alopecia is a commonly observed hair loss type in both women and men. The role of dermal papilla cells in hair growth regulation is well-known. However, the underlying mechanism and activating molecules involved are poorly understood. Researchers from University of California have unveiled the mechanism by which the dermal papilla cells spur new hair growth. SCUBE3, a signaling molecule, produced by dermal papilla cells , was identified in mouse models with excessive hair and hyperactivated dermal papilla cells.
SCUBE3 is the messenger that communicates with neighboring hair stem cells to start dividing, thereby activating new hair growth . In addition, SCUBE3 could trigger new growth when microinjected in mouse skin transplanted with dormant human scalp follicles. Success with the human hair transplant model has validated the preclinical potential of SCUBE3. This…
