The researchers used both gain-of-function and loss-of-function â-catenin mutants to demonstrate that â-catenin stabilization drives the telogen to anagen transition by reducing the threshold for stem cell activation. Dr. Fuchs explains, "Our prior research led us to suspect that expression of genes controlled by â-catenin/Wnt signaling are involved in coaxing a dormant stem cell to become active and produce a hair follicle.
This study not only provides the best evidence to date to demonstrate this, but it also identifies a group of key genes involved in this crucial activation step."
Genes & Development