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First published online May 23, 2008

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Hair-raising β-catenin signalling

Hair shaft differentiation and the induction of hair follicle placodes in the mammalian embryonic surface ectoderm require β-catenin signalling but can activation of this signal alone globally program ectodermal cells to a hair follicle fate? The answer, report Sarah Millar and co-workers on p. 2161, is yes. However, controlled downregulation of β-catenin signalling is needed for the development of a normal fur coat. The researchers found that hair follicle placodes are expanded and induced prematurely in mouse embryos that express a mutant dominant-active form of endogenous epithelial β-catenin. These premature placodes fail to invaginate but precociously express hair shaft keratins. Eventually, the whole epidermis adopts a hair follicle fate and epidermal stratification is disrupted. In addition, the mutant embryonic skin becomes prematurely innervated and pigmented. Thus, the researchers conclude, β-catenin not only promotes hair follicle placode and hair shaft fate, but also activates the signals that attract nerve fibres and melanoblasts into the developing hair follicles and suppresses epidermal differentiation.

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Activation of β-catenin signaling programs embryonic epidermis to hair follicle fate

Yuhang Zhang, Thomas Andl, Steven H. Yang, Monica Teta, Fei Liu, John T. Seykora, John W. Tobias, Stefano Piccolo, Ruth Schmidt-Ullrich, Andras Nagy, Makoto M. Taketo, Andrzej A. Dlugosz, and Sarah E. Millar
Development 2008 135: 2161-2172. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?