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miRNAs are important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression which play vital roles in the arrays of physiological processes, including skin and hair follicle (HF) development. In this study, the role for miR-214 in the skin and HF development and their postnatal physiological regeneration was investigated. miR-214 exhibits discrete expression patterns in the epidermis and HF in developing and postnatal skin, and is highly expressed in the epithelial stem cells and their lineage-committed progenies. The effects of miR-214 on HF morphogenesis and cycle progression were evaluated by using doxycyclineinducible miR-214 transgenic mice (K14-rtTA/TRE-miR-214). Keratinocyte specific miR-214 overexpression during skin embryogenesis resulted in the partial inhibition of HF induction and formation of the HF reduced in size producing thinner hair. Overexpression of miR-214 in telogen skin caused retardation of the anagen progression and HF growth. Inhibitory effects of miR- 214 on HF development and cycling were associated with supressed activity of stem cells, reduced proliferation in the hair matrix, and altered differentiation. miR-214 induced complex changes in gene expression programs in keratinocytes, including inhibition of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases and several essential components of Wnt, Edar, Shh and Bmp signalling pathways, whereas 􀁅-catenin acts as a novel conserved miR-214 target. Indeed, the inhibitory effects of miR-214 on HF development were rescued by intracutaneous delivery of pharmacological Wnt activator. Thus, this study demonstrated that by targeting 􀁅-catenin and, therefore, interfering with Wnt signalling activity miR-214 may act as one of the upstream effectors of the signalling cascades which govern HF morphogenesis and cycling.

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Wounds heal better in skin with terminal hair follicles (large and pigmented) as opposed to those with vellus hair follicles (small and unpigmented), while dermal fibroblasts from different anatomical regions also exhibit phenotypical differences. Tissue repair requires a tight control of cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis, and recent studies have shown the importance of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs), which are proteins that prevent the process of apoptosis via their interaction with caspase molecules in wound healing. Oestrogens improve the rate and quality of wound healing, but their relationship with IAPs in human skin has not been studied. Therefore, terminal (scalp) and vellus (facial) hair bearing skin from the same donor was compared in situ and matching primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts were established from terminal (DF(T)) and vellus (DF(V)) hair bearing skin. Using immunofluorescent staining, the expression of IAPs and their antagonists was compared at different stages of the hair cycle following depilation using a murine model and then in terminal and vellus hair bearing human skin. The size and granularity of matching DF(T) and DF(V) cultures was compared by FACS analysis and mRNA and protein expression of Apollon, cIAP2, NAIP and XIAP and their antagonists DIABLO and Xaf1 analysed by qRT-PCR and immunocytochemistry in unwounded and mechanically wounded fibroblast cultures. Differences in proliferation, migration, viability and caspase 3 activity in the presence of 17β-oestradiol and changes in mRNA expression of the oestrogen receptors (GPR30, ERα and ERβ) were compared between the two cell types. IAP protein expression was generally found higher during mid anagen of the hair cycle in murine skin and hair follicles. Overall, expression was slightly higher in human terminal hair bearing skin compared to corresponding vellus hair bearing skin. IAP protein expression was similar in unwounded DF(T) and DF(V) cells with the exception of Apollon which was higher in DF(V) cells. With the exception of XIAP and its direct antagonist Xaf1, mRNA expression was higher in DF(V) cells compared to corresponding DF(T) cells. FACS analysis demonstrated that DF(V) cells were more granular than matching DF(T) cells and proliferated faster. 17β-oestradiol accelerated migration of DF(T) cells only. Mechanical wounding decreased XIAP mRNA in DF(T) and increased it in DF(V) cells, while simultaneously decreasing Xaf1 expression. In unwounded cells, 17β-oestradiol stimulated the expression of XIAP mRNA in both DF(T) and DF(V) cells, but in scratched monolayers, while it also increased expression in DF(T) cells it decreased it in DF(V) cells. A XIAP inhibitor reduced cell viability in both DF(T) and DF(V) cells, which was rescued by 17β-oestradiol in unwounded and mechanically wounded DF(T) cells, but only in unwounded DF(V) cells. 17β-oestradiol decreased caspase 3 activity in the presence of a XIAP inhibitor only in DF(T) cells. These results demonstrate significant differences between dermal fibroblasts cultured from terminal and vellus hair bearing skin of the same individual. The correlation between an increase in XIAP in response to 17β-oestradiol and a higher number of viable cells, along with a reduction in caspase 3 activity suggests that the protective effect of 17β-oestradiol may be modulated via the regulation of XIAP. Further elucidation of these different signalling pathways in dermal fibroblasts from hair bearing skin may lead to improved therapies for chronic non-healing wounds, particularly in postmenopausal females.

A method for the trace element analysis of hair by charged particle X-ray fluorescence is presented. The validity of the method is shown by the analysis of NBS SRM 1577--Bovine Liver, obtained from the National Bureau of Standards. Excellent correlation is obtained between results from the analysis by the X-ray method and those certified by NBS. Hair samples are ashed by a low temperature oxidation process and analyzed by the X-ray method. The results from the analysis by the X-ray method are compared to those obtained from the analysis of the same hair samples by atomic absorption. Good correlation is found for iron values but copper values appear low. Subsequent checks show that the low copper values appear to be linked to the low temperature ashing process. The results for nine different elements are tabulated along with the results for the analysis of rabbit hair and deer hair.

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No description available.