Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
Published on: September 7, 2013
The genetic basis of pigmentation in alopecia areata
1Department of Dermatology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Abstract:
Alopecia areata (AA) is a common hair loss disorder characterized by discrete, well demarcated areas of non-scarring terminal hair alopecia, with the calculated lifetime risk of ~2%. In past decades, linkage and GWA studies have implicated dozens of susceptibility genes/loci that are linked to the development of AA. Fischer et al performed a genome-wide CNV analysis of 585 AA patients and 1,340 controls in a European population. This is the first genome-wide study of CNV to be performed in AA samples, and the association finding in the MCHR2 gene region further underscores the potential role of pigmentation in AA development.
Related Concept Videos
Epistasis
Pigmentation
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
Epistasis Analysis
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Pleiotropy
Incomplete Dominance

