Mast cells as modulators of hair follicle cycling

While the central role of mast cells (MC) in allergy and inflammation is well-appreciated, much less is known about their physiological functions. The impressive battery of potent growth modulatory MC products, and increasing evidence of MC involvement in hyperproliferative and fibrotic disorders suggest that tissue remodelling may be one of those, namely in the skin. Here, we delineate why this may best be studied by analysing the potential role of MC in hair growth regulation. On the background of numerous, yet widely under-appreciated hints from the older literature, we summarize and discuss our recent observations from the C57BL/6 mouse model for hair research which support the concept that MC are functionally important modulators of hair follicle cycling, specifically during anagen development. This invites to exploit the murine hair cycle as a model for dissecting the physiological growth modulatory functions of MC and encourages the exploration of MC-targeting pharmaceutical strategies for the treatment of hair growth disorders.