| First Author | Cui CY | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | PLoS One | Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | e10009 |
| PubMed ID | 20386733 | Mgi Jnum | J:238689 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5823354 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.pone.0010009 |
| Citation | Cui CY, et al. (2010) Dkk4 and Eda regulate distinctive developmental mechanisms for subtypes of mouse hair. PLoS One 5(4):e10009 |
| abstractText | The mouse hair coat comprises protective "primary" and thermo-regulatory "secondary" hairs. Primary hair formation is ectodysplasin (Eda) dependent, but it has been puzzling that Tabby (Eda(-/y)) mice still make secondary hair. We report that Dickkopf 4 (Dkk4), a Wnt antagonist, affects an auxiliary pathway for Eda-independent development of secondary hair. A Dkk4 transgene in wild-type mice had no effect on primary hair, but secondary hairs were severely malformed. Dkk4 action on secondary hair was further demonstrated when the transgene was introduced into Tabby mice: the usual secondary follicle induction was completely blocked. The Dkk4-regulated secondary hair pathway, like the Eda-dependent primary hair pathway, is further mediated by selective activation of Shh. The results thus reveal two complex molecular pathways that distinctly regulate subtype-based morphogenesis of hair follicles, and provide a resolution for the longstanding puzzle of hair formation in Tabby mice lacking Eda. |
