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Biology of Human Hair: Know Your Hair to Control It

2010; Springer Science+Business Media; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/10_2010_88

1616-8542

Rita Araújo, Margarida M. Fernandes, Artur Cavaco‐Paulo, Andreia C. Gomes,

melanin and skin pigmentation

Hair can be engineered at different levels-its structure and surfacethrough modification of its constituent molecules, in particular proteins, but also the hair follicle (HF) can be genetically altered, in particular with the advent of siRNA-based applications.General aspects of hair biology are reviewed, as well as the most recent contributions to understanding hair pigmentation and the regulation of hair development.Focus will also be placed on the techniques developed specifically for delivering compounds of varying chemical nature to the HF, indicating methods for genetic/biochemical modulation of HF components for the treatment of hair diseases.Finally, hair fiber structure and chemical characteristics will be discussed as targets for keratin surface functionalization.