Key points from article :
A mechanism to prevent hair loss has been discovered.
Hair follicle stem cells can prolong their life by switching their metabolic state.
500 million cells and 100 hairs are shed every day.
They are replaced by stem cells - compromised function or reduced number leads to ageing. .
'Stem cells and daughter cells have distinct metabolic characteristics', - Dr. Christine Kim, lead author.
Stem cell depletion was due to the loss of metabolic flexibility.
Rictor( a protein )plays a key role in the cellular metabolism and longevity of hair follicle stem cells.
Mice lacking Rictor had delayed hair follicle regeneration and cycling.
Application of a glutaminase inhibitor was able to restore stem cell function in the Rictor-deficient mice' - Sabine Eming, co-author.
Translating these preclinical findings into humans can help protect from hair follicle ageing
Research by University of Cologne published in Cell Metabolism.
