Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND:Transition of hair shaft keratinocytes from actively respiring, nucleated cells to structural cells devoid of nucleus and cytoplasm is key to hair production. This form of cell 'death', or cornification, requires cellular organelle removal to allow the cytoplasm to become packed with keratin filament bundles that further require cross-linking to create a strong hair fibre. Although these processes are well described in epidermal keratinocytes, there is a lack of understanding of such mechanisms, specifically in the hair follicle. OBJECTIVES:To gain insights into cornification mechanisms within the hair follicle and thus improve our understanding of normal hair physiology. METHODS:Scalp biopsies and hair-pluck samples were obtained from healthy human donors and analysed microscopically after immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS:A focal point of respiratory activity was evident in keratogenous zone cells within the hair shaft, which also exhibited nuclear damage. Nuclear degradation occurred via both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent pathways. Conversely, mitophagy was driven by Bnip3L and restricted to the boundary of the keratogenous zone at Adamson's Fringe. CONCLUSIONS:We propose a model of stepwise living-dead transition within the first 1 mm of hair formation, whereby fully functional, nucleated cells first consolidate required functions by degrading nuclear DNA, yet continue to respire and provide the source of reactive oxygen species required for keratin cross-linking. Finally, as the cells become packed with keratin bundles, Bnip3L expression triggers mitophagy to rid the cells of the last remaining 'living' characteristic, thus completing the march from 'living' to 'dead' within the hair follicle.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/bjd.16148

Type

Journal

The British journal of dermatology

Publication Date

06/2018

Volume

178

Pages

1341 - 1352

Addresses

Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore City, Singapore.

Keywords

Scalp, Hair Follicle, Cell Nucleus, Organelles, Mitochondria, Keratinocytes, Hair, Humans, Cross-Linking Reagents, Microscopy, Confocal, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Cell Death, Apoptosis, Cell Differentiation, Oxidation-Reduction, Oxidative Stress, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Middle Aged, Autophagy, Female, Keratins, Young Adult, Healthy Volunteers