Scientists have discovered a magical molecule. Is there a cure for baldness?

Recently, many media reported that Chinese and American researchers have discovered a signal molecule called SCUBE3 that can stimulate hair growth. Further research on its mechanism will hopefully help people get rid of the trouble of hair loss. As soon as this news came out, it immediately attracted the attention and discussion of netizens. Many netizens even said: If clinical trials are not started, my hair will not be able to hold on.

In fact, theoretically speaking, this new molecule cannot solve all types of hair loss problems, but is only effective for hair loss caused by androgen.

In this article, we will introduce you to various knowledge related to hair loss in detail, and also explain how the newly discovered SCUBE3 molecule promotes hair growth. Whether you have a bald head or not, it is always a good idea to plan ahead! Come and have a look.

No matter when, healthy hair follicles are the most important

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The growth rate of hair is 0.27-0.4 mm per day, which can be inferred to be about 10-20 cm per year. The growth rate of hair is related to many factors, and is closely related to gender, age, and season.

The growth cycle of hair can be divided into three stages: growth phase, regression phase and resting phase . The growth phase is 2-6 years, the regression phase is 2-3 weeks, and the resting phase is about 3 months.

The growth phase of hair is also called the growth activity phase, which is an active growth phase. For people with normal hair volume, the hair in this phase accounts for 85%-90% of the total hair.

The hair regression phase is also called the atrophy phase or the degeneration phase. During this phase, active proliferation stops and the number of hair follicles accounts for about 1% of the total hair follicles.

The resting phase of hair is also called the quiescent phase or resting phase, during which the hair follicles gradually shrink, accounting for about 10-15% of the total hair follicles.

Under normal circumstances, hair growth, degeneration and rest exist at the same time. The pulling when combing will cause the hair that is in the resting stage but has not fallen out to fall out. Under normal circumstances, people can lose 50 to 100 hairs every day. This is physiological hair loss and there is no need to worry too much. However, if the hair loss exceeds this amount for a period of time, it needs to be paid attention to.

The hair follicle at the root is the most dynamic part of the hair. From the absorption of nutrients by the hair papilla to the delivery of nutrients by the inner and outer hair root sheaths and the protection provided by the sebaceous glands, the hair follicle is like a natural "nutrient bag" that continuously injects vitality into the hair through a series of internal operations.

Generally speaking, new hair follicles no longer grow after adulthood. When hair follicles shrink or become blocked, various problems such as frizzy, dull, split ends, and dandruff will emerge, so the care of scalp hair follicles must not be neglected!

Let’s take a look at what is considered “abnormal hair loss”?

Many people are now suffering from hair loss. Asians have an average of about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs, and each hair is in a different growth cycle at the same time. The hair that "normally falls off" during the resting phase will be covered with white keratin structures at the root, giving it a ball-shaped appearance.

However, if the hair in the growth phase falls off, its roots are soft and curved, often with black tissue attached . Because hair loss is not obvious in the early stages, it is difficult to notice whether it is physiological hair loss or a precursor to "baldness". When you notice a decrease in hair volume, it is mostly because you find that your hair can no longer cover your scalp (this is how I discovered it), or that the hair you grab is no longer thick.

It is actually very difficult to remedy the situation at this time because the atrophy of hair follicles is irreversible .

Image source: Author

Once your scalp starts to become unhealthy, the following conditions may appear to warn you:

1. Increased hair loss

2. The visible area of ​​the scalp becomes larger

3. Hair becomes fragile, thin and soft

4. Receding hairline

There are many reasons for hair loss. Only by finding the right reason can you find the right medicine.

Hair loss can be simply divided into scarring alopecia and non-scarring alopecia .

Scarring alopecia is permanent hair loss caused by inflammatory diseases of the scalp. Scarring alopecia is relatively rare in clinical practice, and the treatment is mainly to control inflammation. Non-scarring alopecia is divided into localized alopecia, morphological alopecia and diffuse alopecia.

The scope of local hair loss is mainly "local", and alopecia areata (also called alopecia areata, commonly known as alopecia areata) is the most common cause.

Morphological alopecia refers to a certain pattern of hair loss. Androgenic alopecia and female androgenic alopecia are the most common causes.

Diffuse hair loss covers the entire scalp, and the most common types are telogen effluvium and metabolic effluvium. The cause is often due to excessive weight loss or stress, which causes the hair follicles to enter the telogen phase together, leading to hair loss. In addition, women experience hormonal changes during pregnancy, which delays the follicles from entering the telogen phase together. After childbirth, hormones return to normal levels, causing the follicles to enter the telogen phase together, resulting in a large amount of hair loss.

Photo of alopecia areata. Image source: Wikipedia

Among all types of hair loss, androgenic alopecia is the most common.

Androgenic alopecia has a specific range of hair loss, which usually starts from the hairline and shows an M-shaped receding pattern, gradually affecting the middle of the forehead, and slowly expanding to the top and the whorls of hair. Some people are first affected at the top and whorls of hair, and the receding hairline is not so obvious. As for the back of the head, it is usually not affected. I will keep you in suspense here and tell you the specific reasons later.

Why does androgenic alopecia occur?

Most androgenic alopecia has nothing to do with lifestyle habits such as staying up late and eating spicy food, but is absolutely related to heredity . In addition to paternal inheritance, maternal inheritance also accounts for a large proportion, but mothers are usually asymptomatic, and it is often necessary to ask grandfathers and uncles whether they have androgenic alopecia to find out the truth.

The cause of androgenic alopecia is explained by modern medicine as dihydrotestosterone , a metabolite of male hormones in the body, which attacks the hair follicles through the male hormone receptors distributed on the hair follicles, affecting hair protein synthesis.

If there is no intervention during this period, the final result is that the growth phase of the hair follicles becomes shorter and shorter, and the hair does not have time to grow longer and thicker before entering the resting phase and falling off. This process is called hair follicle atrophy. Therefore, the appearance of androgenic alopecia we see is "very thin hair, large spacing, and poor coverage of the scalp."

Androgenic alopecia. Image source: Wikipedia

Because the occurrence of androgenic alopecia is closely related to male hormones , symptoms may begin to appear after puberty.

What is special is that the androgen receptors are not evenly distributed throughout the scalp. They are more concentrated in the forehead and top of the head, but less concentrated in the back of the head. Therefore, even in severe androgenic alopecia, most of the hair in the back of the head is still healthy. So, this is how the most common "Mediterranean" hairstyle for baldness comes from.

Where does this magical molecule that promises to treat hair loss come from?

At this time, everyone will ask: Tell me quickly! How to treat "baldness"? !

Researchers have long discovered that dermal papilla cells play a key role in the process of hair growth.

Dermal papilla cells are located at the base of hair follicles and are of great significance to the growth and development of hair follicles and the maintenance of hair growth. The hair growth molecule "SCUBE3" discovered this time is a signaling molecule found in dermal papilla cells.

The so-called signal molecules can be understood as the "messenger" within the cell. In many cases, only after receiving the instructions from them will the cells divide, grow, or even die.

The Sino-US joint research team found that at different stages of the hair follicle life cycle, dermal papilla cells can send different signals, and the effects of these signals are also different . Some will put the hair follicles in a dormant state, while others will trigger new hair growth. Interestingly, the SCUBE3 signaling molecule naturally produced by dermal papilla cells is a "messenger" used to "tell" neighboring hair stem cells to start dividing.

Previously, people have studied dermal papilla cells for many years and clearly know that they play a key role in regulating the growth of hair follicles. However, the signaling molecules released by them to stimulate hair follicle growth have been less clear. The SCUBE3 discovered this time is just such an activating molecule, and its presence has a significant effect on the growth status of hair follicles.

In patients with androgenic alopecia, the function of the hair papilla cells is disturbed by hormones, the number of activated molecules such as SCUBE3 decreases sharply, and the hair follicles gradually shrink. If timely intervention is made at this time, it is expected that the function of the hair follicles will be restored and the hair will grow again.

Unfortunately, although the general public is eager to be saved by the "magic molecule", it has to be said that the development of drugs and therapies is a long process, and we are afraid that we will not see the emergence of relevant new drugs in the short term. It should be noted that once the hair follicles die completely, they cannot regenerate, so you should seek medical attention in the early stages of hair loss.

References:

[1] Hedgehog signaling reprograms hair follicle niche fibroblasts to a hyper-activated state.

[2] A potential solution to androgenic alopecia: microinjection of SCUBE3 protein

source:

This article is produced by Science Popularization China

Produced by Zhang Pu (PhD in Physiology)

China Science Expo Producer

Submitted by: Computer Information Network Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences

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