Lack of collagen VI promotes wound-induced hair growth

J Invest Dermatol. 2015 May 19. doi: 10.1038/jid.2015.187. [Epub ahead of print]

The hair follicle and the extracellular matrix around it maintain a delicate and complex interaction that supports hair growth and cycling, yet the specific pathways and signals involved remain unclear. Chen et al. set out to define the role of these interactions by studying the effect of collagen VI on hair growth. Collagen VI is abundantly expressed in the skin and is thought to play an important role in stem cell niches of various tissues. Using a mouse model lacking collagen VI, the authors showed that these mice have a delayed hair growth cycle under physiological conditions. At the same time, they showed increased wound-induced hair growth involving the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. The study further confirms the importance of the extracellular matrix for normal hair follicle function and brings collagen VI to the fore as a key player in this interaction. Collagen VI may also be considered a potential target for treating hair loss.