CELLULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA

The hair follicle is a highly complex system that can be investigated at many levels and from multiple perspectives, However, underlying the cyclic production of all hair fibres are a set of common developmenta l processes. Many current investigations of androgenetic alopecia conc entrate on the direct influences of hormones on hair follicles at the cellular or intracellular level. This paper attempts to step back from this and consider the process of terminal to vellus transition in and rogenetic alopecia in terms of basic cellular and developmental mechan isms. Ideas about the mechanism and timing of follicle size reduction are put forward, but the paper also tries to point out inherent diffic ulties in the investigation of androgenetic alopecia and important gap s in current knowledge.