Beauty

The influence of heredity on the predisposition to baldness has long been known, but recently scientists have found out some more aspects of the influence of genes on the tendency to baldness.

An international team of scientists studied DNA analysis in more than 5,000 patients and identified 2 genes that are responsible for male pattern baldness. One of the genes is on the X chromosome and the other is on the 20th chromosome. The gene on the X chromosome is transmitted only through the maternal line and is responsible for the production of male sex hormones, and the gene on the 20th chromosome comes from both the mother and the father. Men who have inherited both genes on chromosome X and on chromosome 20 are 7 times more likely to have baldness in middle age. While in the absence of both genes, the probability of hair loss is only 14%. A more detailed study of what functions these genes perform in the body will allow us to understand the underlying causes of baldness and, possibly, prevent this process.

Japanese scientists after research on mice have identified another gene that is responsible for the formation of hair. Laboratory mice with a suppressed Sox21 gene did not lose hair. While specially bred mice with this gene in an active state lost their entire hairline in 11 days. After the suppression of the gene in these mice after 20-25 days, the hairline began to recover. The researchers found that the gene is responsible for the synthesis of keratin — the main material for hair growth. Scientists say that the same gene in humans performs similar functions. In addition, the gene also performs certain functions in the differentiation of stem cells, some of which then form the outer layer of the hair.

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