Clues about baldness revealed
Hairdressers - 30/08/2006 10:17:52
Balding men may be spared a trip to the hairdressers for some spray-on strands after new research may help combat hair loss.
Scientists in Manchester believe they have found important clues about the causes of premature baldness.
Researchers at the city's university, studied mice to find out why some skin cells will become hair follicles and others do not.
The team, ked by Dr Denis Headon, found that hair pattern is determined by three different proteins being formed in the embryo which work as skin cells.
Their findings could help people who suffer from ectodermal dysplasia (ED), where skin cells fail to develop into other tissue, including hair follicles. Up to seven in every 10,000 babies are born with an ED syndrome.
Dr Headon said: "Skin cells have the ability to turn into other types of cells to form hair follicles, sweat glands, teeth and nails.
"Which cells are transformed into hair follicles is determined by three proteins produced by our genes.Our research has identified how one of these proteins determines an individual's hair pattern as skin is formed in embryos."
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