VDR is an essential regulator of hair follicle regression through the progression of cell death

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is essential for hair follicle homeostasis as its deficiency induces hair loss, although the mechanism involved remains unknown. Our research shows that, in Vdr-knockout mice, the hair cycle is halted during the catagen stage, preceding alopecia. In addition, in Vdr-knockout hair follicles, epithelial strands that normally regress during the catagen phase persist as "surviving epithelial strands." Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis suggests that these surviving epithelial strands are formed by cells in the lower part of the hair follicle. These findings emphasize the importance of the regression phase in hair follicle regeneration and establish VDR as a regulator of the catagen stage.

内容要旨・審査要旨・論文本文の公開
本論文は，著者Yudai Jokoの学位論文として提出され，学位審査・授与の対象となっている。

This article is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution 4.0 International, as described at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).