Hair follicles not only produce hair, but also play a role in sensing touch. This is evident from research Imperial College London.
Hair follicles are small structures in the skin from which your hair grows. They are located all over the body except on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, lips and eyelids. It was long thought that the main function of the hair follicle was to grow hair, but British research shows a new role for hair follicles, namely sensing physical stimuli. This is striking, because it was previously assumed that only the surrounding nerves transmitted touch to the brain, but now it appears that the hair follicles themselves are also capable of doing this.
The researchers discovered this when they looked at how hair follicle cells responded to different types of touch, such as bending the hair fiber or brushing the skin. This showed that the hair follicle cells respond not only to calcium signals – which indicate increased activity in the cell – but also to neurotransmitters such as serotonin and histamine. These substances can activate nearby nerves, which then transmit signals to the brain. This suggests that these cells themselves can sense when the hair fiber is bent or brushed.
Other reactions
The researchers do not yet know why this is the case. “That is one of the many new questions this research has raised,” said lead author Claire Higgins. It is clear that hair follicles respond differently to physical stimuli than other skin cells. While the most common skin cell only produces histamine after a physical stimulus, the hair follicles produce both histamine and serotonin. “We don’t yet know why the hair follicles react differently and also release serotonin, but it is certainly intriguing,” says Higgins.
Eczema
The discovery may have implications for treating skin conditions such as eczema, where histamine plays a major role in causing inflammation and itching. Histamine is usually produced by immune cells in the skin, but hair follicles can also do this. “Which could mean that hair follicles play a role in the development or worsening of eczema. The team therefore wants to conduct further research into the hair follicles. This knowledge may possibly be used to treat or prevent other skin conditions. One of the options they are considering is to influence the production of serotonin and histamine in the hair follicle cells in a way that can reduce the symptoms of eczema.
In addition, the researchers are curious whether there are differences in the hair follicles and their function in different types of hair, such as scalp hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. By investigating this further, the researchers hope to better understand how we experience the world around us and how we respond to different types of touch.
2023-11-04 18:07:45
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