Melanocyte stem cells and hair graying.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relationship between melanocyte stem cells in the hair follicle bulge and hair graying so as to fully understand their key role in the pathogenesis of hair graying.

METHODS

The published articles about "hair graying, hair color, pigmentation disorders" and "melanocyte stem cells, melanocyte" were searched and analyzed in PubMed to explore their relationship.

RESULTS

Melanocytes in hair bulb are involved in the pathogenesis of hair graying as well as the melanocyte stem cells in hair follicle bulge also play important roles in the formation of hair graying through some ways.

CONCLUSION

Loss of melanocyte stem cells in hair follicle bulge is one of the main reasons of hair graying, and more researches are needed to explain the underlying mechanisms of ectopic differentiation of melanocyte stem cells in different individual.