In April 2016 Manchester eScholar was replaced by the University of Manchester’s new Research Information Management System, Pure. In the autumn the University’s research outputs will be available to search and browse via a new Research Portal. Until then the University’s full publication record can be accessed via a temporary portal and the old eScholar content is available to search and browse via this archive.

Melatonin and the hair follicle.

Fischer, Tobias W; Slominski, Andrzej; Tobin, Desmond J; Paus, Ralf

Journal of pineal research. 2008;44(1):1-15.

Access to files

Full-text and supplementary files are not available from Manchester eScholar. Full-text is available externally using the following links:

Full-text held externally

Abstract

Melatonin, the chief secretory product of the pineal gland, has long been known to modulate hair growth, pigmentation and/or molting in many species, presumably as a key neuroendocrine regulator that couples coat phenotype and function to photoperiod-dependent environmental and reproductive changes. However, the detailed effects and mechanisms of this surprisingly pleiotropic indole on the hair follicle (HF) regarding growth control and pigmentation have not yet been completely understood. While unspecific melatonin binding sites have long been identified (e.g., in goat and mouse HFs), specific melatonin membrane MT2 receptor transcripts and both protein and mRNA expression for a specific nuclear melatonin binding site [retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORalpha)] have only recently been identified in murine HFs. MT1, known to be expressed in human skin cells, is not transcribed in mouse skin. After initial enzymologic data from hamster skin related to potential intracutaneous melatonin synthesis, it has recently been demonstrated that murine and human skin, namely human scalp HFs in anagen, are important sites of extrapineal melatonin synthesis. Moreover, HF melatonin production is enhanced by catecholamines (as it classically occurs in the pineal gland). Melatonin may also functionally play a role in hair-cycle control, as it down-regulates both apoptosis and estrogen receptor-alpha expression, and modulates MT2 and RORalpha expression in murine skin in a hair-cycle-dependent manner. Because of melatonin's additional potency as a free radical scavenger and DNA repair inducer, the metabolically and proliferatively highly active anagen hair bulb may also exploit melatonin synthesis in loco as a self-cytoprotective strategy.

Bibliographic metadata

Content type:
Published date:
Language:
eng
Abbreviated journal title:
ISSN:
Place of publication:
Denmark
Volume:
44
Issue:
1
Pagination:
1-15
Digital Object Identifier:
10.1111/j.1600-079X.2007.00512.x
Pubmed Identifier:
18078443
Pii Identifier:
JPI512
Access state:
Active

Institutional metadata

University researcher(s):

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:38220
Created by:
Paus, Ralf
Created:
8th October, 2009, 07:47:47
Last modified by:
Paus, Ralf
Last modified:
3rd March, 2010, 18:29:55

Can we help?

The library chat service will be available from 11am-3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). You can also email your enquiry to us.