Ten years ago, Hardy (1992) wrote a timely review on the major features of hair follicle development and hair growth which she referred to as a secret life. Many of these secrets are now being revealed. The information discussed in this brief review comprises the structure of the hair and hair follicle, the continuing characterisation of the genes for keratin and keratin associated proteins, th...

The hair follicle is a cyclic, self renewing epidermal structure which is thought to be controlled by signals from the dermal papilla, a specialized cluster of mesenchymal cells within the dermis. Topical treatments with 17-beta-estradiol to the clipped dorsal skin of mice arrested hair follicles in telogen and produced a profound and prolonged inhibition of hair growth while treatment with the...

A whole follicle culture system has been used to investigate the actions of gonadotrophic hormones, oestrogen and progesterone in the regulation of follicular development and steroidogenesis. Recombinant human FSH was required for the growth of preantral follicles and for Graafian morphogenesis, whereas recombinant LH was ineffective. While pure FSH was sufficient for growth and morphogenesis, ...

Data was collected on secondary:primary follicle ratio, relative follicle density, and seasonal changes in fibre cross-sectional area and fibre ellipticity (ratio of major-to-minor fibre cross-sectional axis) in the Australasian specialty carpet wool breeds (Carpetmaster, Drysdale, Elliottdale, Tukidale), Romneys and Merinos. Merinos had a higher secondary:primary follicle ratio (p<0.001), rela...

Under the influence of the AMH formed in the Sertoli cells, the Mullerian ducts degenerate in male fetuses. This leads to the normal development of the male genitals. Female fetuses do not have AMH, and so develop the internal female genital organs. In women, at the onset of puberty AMH, like inhibin B, is formed by the granulosa cells of the maturing ovarian follicle, but not by the primordial...

OBJECTIVE This study investigated the expression of genes in cashmere goats at different periods of their fetal development. METHODS Bioinformatics analysis was used to evaluate data obtained by transcriptome sequencing of fetus skin samples collected from Inner Mongolia cashmere goats on days 45, 55, and 65 of fetal age. RESULTS We found that FoxN1, FoxE1, and FoxI3 genes of the Fox gene f...

BACKGROUND C-src is an evolutionarily conserved proto-oncogene that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In our previous studies, we have reported that another proto-oncogene, c-erbB2, plays an important role in primordial follicle activation and development. We also found that c-src was expressed in mammalian ovaries, but its functions in primordial follicle activation ...