title: New activators and inhibitors in the hair cycle clock: targeting stem cells' state of competence.
abstract: The timing mechanism of the hair cycle remains poorly understood. However, it has become increasingly clear that the telogen-to-anagen transition is controlled jointly by at least the bone morphogenic protein (BMP), WNT, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathways. New research shows that Fgf18 signaling in hair follicle stem cells synergizes BMP-mediated refractivity, whereas Tgf-β2 signaling counterbalances it. Loss of Fgf18 signaling markedly accelerates anagen initiation, whereas loss of Tgf-β2 signaling significantly delays it, supporting key roles for these pathways in hair cycle timekeeping.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. plikus@upenn.edu
authors.forename: Maksim V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Plikus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: C113569:fibroblast growth factor 18; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors