694 citations
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April 2000 in “Nature genetics” Msx2 deficiency in mice leads to bone growth and organ development problems.
Key genes for mink fur have been identified, aiding conservation efforts.
165 citations
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January 2006 in “Molecular Medicine” Matriptase is crucial for skin, hair, and immune cell health, and its imbalance can lead to cancer.
Matriptase-2 helps control iron levels by suppressing hepcidin, and its deficiency can cause iron-deficiency anemia.
11 citations
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June 2012 in “Acta histochemica” Mice with a Gsdma3 gene mutation have thicker skin and longer hair follicle openings due to increased β-catenin levels.
July 2025 in “Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research” MicroRNA-22-3p hinders hair regrowth in male pattern baldness by affecting a specific protein.
17 citations
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August 2015 in “Journal of Animal Science” The MTR gene affects wool quality and production in Chinese Merino sheep.
22 citations
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April 2012 in “The American journal of pathology” Loss of Msx2 function causes eye development issues similar to Peters anomaly.
April 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Sonic hedgehog signaling is needed for the development of touch-receptor cells in the skin, and the loss of Polycomb repressive complex 2 can lead to more of these cells.
4 citations
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May 2023 in “Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research” BMI1 is essential for preventing hair greying and maintaining hair color.
July 2012 in “European journal of cancer” MPA increases cancer spread by boosting Eph A2 activity.
4 citations
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February 2023 in “International Journal of Stem Cells” The FTO gene hinders stem cells in hair follicles from becoming pigment cells.
29 citations
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January 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” The Msi2 protein helps keep hair follicle stem cells inactive, controlling hair growth and regeneration.
11 citations
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November 2019 in “The FASEB Journal” A mutation in the MAP2 gene causes reduced hair follicle density, leading to hairlessness.
February 2026 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in skin cells help regulate and promote hair growth.
The naked mutation in mice causes hair loss and helps identify keratin genes.
1 citations
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October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Scientists identified and cloned specific keratin proteins in mouse hair.
1 citations
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December 2022 in “BMC Genomics” The Msx2 gene affects feather development in Hungarian white geese and a specific gene variation could indicate feather quality.
August 2001 in “The Journal of Cell Biology” A new keratin gene was found in mice, explaining hair growth.
17 citations
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December 2006 in “Gene Expression Patterns” Scube3 gene affects mouse embryo growth in multiple areas, but needs more research.
5 citations
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August 2021 in “Experimental dermatology” Overexpressing Merkel cell virus proteins in human hair follicles can create clusters of cells that resemble Merkel cell cancer.
4 citations
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May 2018 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” The research showed how melanocytes develop, move, and respond to UV light, and their stem cells' role in hair color and skin cancer risk.
70 citations
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September 2008 in “PubMed” MicroRNAs are important for skin development and diseases and could be used for treatment and diagnosis.
September 2019 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Not having enough cystatin M/E protein causes less hair growth and dry skin.
7 citations
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January 2008 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” Pigmentary mosaicism causes skin color changes and can affect multiple body systems, but has no cure.
14 citations
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May 2013 in “American Journal of Physiology-endocrinology and Metabolism” Removing myelin protein zero-like 3 in mice leads to better metabolism and resistance to obesity.
February 2026 in “BMC Genomics” MEG3-miRNAs help control wool traits in young Tan sheep by regulating immune responses, but their decline with age leads to wool changes.
November 2025 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Alpha-MSH affects mitochondrial function, and MC1R mutations may increase skin aging.
January 2010 in “Bradford Scholars (University of Bradford)” MicroRNAs are crucial for hair growth and skin balance.
14 citations
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May 2019 in “Human gene therapy” MC-DNA vector-based gene therapy can temporarily treat CBS deficiency in mice.