When mouse hair starts growing, pigment stem cells in the hair germ turn on color-making and branch-related genes before they divide.
Scientific Claim
During hair follicle regeneration in mice, melanocyte stem cells in the hair germ compartment are associated with upregulation of pigmentation and dendrite-related genes prior to cell division.
Original Statement
“In the quiescent telogen stage, McSCs displayed the compact oval or bipolar shape of undifferentiated melanocytes. However, they showed marked changes during early anagen (anagen II), when TA cells emerge in this HG compartment, with all melanocytes in the HG developing a dendritic appearance reminiscent of differentiated melanocytes... genes involved in melanocyte dendrite formation, such as Rac1, were upregulated in early anagen, similar to that observed in mature bulb melanocytes of anagen HFs.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
Uses 'associated with' and specifies gene types and timing without causal language, matching study design limitations.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Dedifferentiation maintains melanocyte stem cells in a dynamic niche