Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
06:41
A New Technique for Quantitative Analysis of Hair Loss in Mice Using Grayscale Analysis
Published on: March 9, 2015
Female androgenetic alopecia: a separate entity
1Department of Dermatology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Summary
Female androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is distinct from male AGA. Evidence suggests they are separate conditions, not counterparts, based on distinct characteristics and family histories.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
- Dermatology
Background:
- Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is commonly viewed as a gender-specific manifestation of a single condition.
- This perspective assumes a direct female counterpart to the well-documented male AGA.
Observation:
- This study examines key differences between female and male AGA.
- Evidence includes four established facts differentiating the conditions.
- A family pedigree showing predominantly female AGA and minimal male AGA is presented.
- A case of female AGA in a woman with undetectable androgens is cited.
Findings:
- Female and male AGA are biologically distinct entities.
- The underlying mechanisms and genetic expressions likely differ significantly between sexes.
Implications:
- Reclassifying female AGA as a separate condition is necessary for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- Further research into the specific pathophysiology of female AGA is warranted.
- This distinction may lead to more targeted therapeutic strategies for androgenetic alopecia.
Related Concept Videos
02:07Oogenesis
In human women, oogenesis produces one mature egg cell or ovum for every precursor cell that enters meiosis. This process differs in two unique ways from the equivalent procedure of spermatogenesis in males. First, meiotic divisions during oogenesis are asymmetric, meaning that a large oocyte (containing most of the cytoplasm) and minor polar body are produced as a result of meiosis I, and again following meiosis II. Since only oocytes will go on to form embryos if fertilized, this unequal...
01:19X-linked Traits
In most mammalian species, females have two X sex chromosomes and males have an X and Y. As a result, mutations on the X chromosome in females may be masked by the presence of a normal allele on the second X. In contrast, a mutation on the X chromosome in males more often causes observable biological defects, as there is no normal X to compensate. Trait variations arising from mutations on the X chromosome are called “X-linked”.
01:43Sex-linked Disorders
Like autosomes, sex chromosomes contain a variety of genes necessary for normal body function. When a mutation in one of these genes results in biological deficits, the disorder is considered sex-linked.
01:06Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...
01:20Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair Growth and Types
Hair growth begins with the production of keratinocytes by the basal cells of the hair bulb. As new cells are deposited at the hair bulb, the hair shaft is pushed through the follicle toward the surface. Keratinization is completed as the cells are pushed to the skin surface to form the shaft of hair that is externally visible. The external hair is completely dead and composed entirely of keratin. Hair can be cut or shaven without damaging the hair structure because the cut is superficial. Most...
01:20Folliculogenesis
Folliculogenesis is the development of ovarian follicles, the specialized structures within the ovarian cortex where oogenesis, or egg development, occurs. This process is essential for female reproductive health and begins during fetal development when primordial follicles are formed. Each primordial follicle comprises a primary oocyte in the center, surrounded by a single layer of squamous pre-granulosa cells. These follicles remain dormant in late prophase I of meiosis until triggered by...