OVO Homolog-Like 1, a Target Gene of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway, Controls Hair Follicle Neogenesis

In 2014, researchers studied the role of the OVO homolog-like 1 (OVOL1) gene in hair follicle creation. They used a method called small interfering RNA (siRNA) to reduce the activity of the OVOL1 gene and found that this significantly impaired the formation of hair follicles. On the other hand, increasing the activity of OVOL1 in certain skin cells greatly increased hair follicle formation. The study concluded that the OVOL1 gene, which is controlled by β-catenin, plays a crucial role in the creation of hair follicles.