May 2026 in “Theranostics” Targeting DKK3–CKAP4 can help reverse hair loss in androgenetic alopecia.
6 citations
,
January 2024 in “Annals of Dermatology” Dickkopf-related Protein 2 can help hair grow by activating a specific cell pathway.
3 citations
,
October 2022 in “PloS one” Scientists have developed a method to keep chicken feather follicles alive and structurally intact in a lab for up to a week.
January 2026 in “Aging and Disease” DKK proteins could help diagnose and treat various non-cancerous diseases.
301 citations
,
February 2019 in “Nature Communications” The research found that different types of fibroblasts are involved in wound healing and that some blood cells can turn into fat cells during this process.
32 citations
,
April 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” STAT5 activation is crucial for starting the hair growth phase.
23 citations
,
June 2012 in “PLOS ONE” KLF4 is important for maintaining skin stem cells and helps heal wounds.
191 citations
,
September 2011 in “Cell stem cell” Hair follicle stem cells use specific chromatin changes to control their growth and differentiation.
173 citations
,
January 2014 in “Nature Cell Biology” Wnt signaling controls whether hair follicle stem cells stay inactive or regenerate hair.
130 citations
,
September 2018 in “Cell Reports” Macrophages help heal nerves by aiding the maturation of Schwann cells and are important for nerve repair.
124 citations
,
June 2020 in “Cell Stem Cell” Fat cells in the skin help start healing and form important repair cells after injury.
77 citations
,
March 2021 in “Nature” Stress hormone corticosterone blocks a growth factor to slow down hair stem cell activity and hair growth.
61 citations
,
December 2016 in “The EMBO Journal” The study showed that hair follicle stem cells can maintain and organize themselves in a lab setting, keeping their ability to renew and form hair and skin.
51 citations
,
September 2020 in “Cell Metabolism” Glutamine metabolism affects hair stem cell maintenance and their ability to change back to stem cells.
27 citations
,
June 2023 in “Nature” Senescent melanocytes can boost hair growth by activating hair stem cells.
20 citations
,
September 2021 in “Nature communications” Cat color patterns are determined early in development by gene expression and epidermal changes, with the Dickkopf 4 gene playing a crucial role.
14 citations
,
June 2021 in “Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents” New patents show progress in developing drugs targeting the Wnt pathway for diseases like cancer and hair loss.
8 citations
,
November 2020 in “Nature Communications” Adult stem cells with Tp63 can form hair and skin cells when placed in new skin, showing they have hidden abilities for skin repair.
6 citations
,
September 2024 in “Frontiers in Physiology” Overexpression of R-spondin 3 leads to sparse hair and impaired hair regeneration.
6 citations
,
July 2023 in “Nature cell biology” SOX9 helps determine stem cell roles by interacting with DNA and proteins that control gene activity.
5 citations
,
October 2024 in “International Journal of Biological Sciences” A peptide from hair follicle stem cells can boost hair growth.
1 citations
,
May 2017 in “InTech eBooks” Hair loss in Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is due to altered cell sensitivity to hormones, not increased hormone levels. Hair growth periods shorten over time, causing hair to become thinner and shorter. This is linked to miscommunication between cell pathways in hair follicles. There's also a change in gene expression related to blood vessels and cell growth in balding hair follicles. The exact molecular causes of AGA are still unclear.
Inhibiting AP-1 changes skin tumor types and affects tumor cell identity.
Inhibiting AP-1 changes skin tumor types and affects tumor cell identity.
260 citations
,
December 2012 in “Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology” Wnt signaling is crucial for skin development and health, and its disruption can cause skin diseases.
16 citations
,
January 2007 in “Dermatology” Scientists have made progress in understanding hair follicle stem cells, identifying specific genes and markers, and suggesting their use in treating hair and skin conditions.
9 citations
,
May 2012 in “PLOS ONE” ILK is essential for skin development, pigmentation, and healing.
April 2026 in “Cellular and Molecular Immunology” SPT6 prevents excessive skin inflammation by blocking a feedback loop.
7 citations
,
January 2019 in “PeerJ” A protein called sFRP4 can slow down hair regrowth.
5 citations
,
July 2022 in “Orphanet journal of rare diseases” RSPO1 mutations in certain patients lead to skin cells that don't develop properly and are more likely to become invasive, increasing the risk of skin cancer.