Dysregulated behaviour of hair follicle stem cells triggers alopecia and provides potential therapeutic targets

Abstract

Due to a steady increase in the number of individuals suffering from alopecia, this condition has recently received increasing attention. Alopecia can be caused by various pathological, environmental or psychological factors, eventually resulting in abnormalities in hair follicle (HF) structures or HF regeneration disorders, especially dysregulated hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) behaviour. HFSC behaviour includes activation, proliferation and differentiation. Appropriate HFSC behaviour sustains a persistent hair cycle (HC). HFSC behaviour is mainly influenced by HFSC metabolism, ageing and the microenvironment. In this review, we summarize recent findings on how HFSC metabolism, ageing and the microenvironment give rise to hair growth disorders, as well as related genes and signalling pathways. Recent research on the application of stem cell-based hair tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to treat alopecia is also summarized. Determining how dysregulated HFSC behaviour underlies alopecia would be helpful in identifying potential therapeutic targets.