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The mineralization of hair follicle tissue

I. Anin vivo study

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Abstract

Previous histological investigations have shown that the hair follicle is particularly susceptible to mineralization when the skin of hypercalcaemic rats is injured. Direct chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses of follicle tissue have now confirmed this finding. As judged by increases in both calcium and phosphorus, mineral deposits began to form in hair follicle tissue 6–12 h after a mild crush injury to the skin of rats dosed with dihydrotachysterol (DHT), and 24–48 h after a similar injury to the skin of non-dosed rats. X-ray diffraction gave a diffuse apatite pattern. Within 3 h of injury there was a rise in the calcium content of follicle tissue which was not related to DHT-dosing and which was probably a reflection of calcium binding rather than mineral deposition.

Résumé

Des études histologiques antérieures ont montré que le follicle pileux est particulièrement susceptible de se calcifier, lorsque la peau de rats hypercalcémiques est lésée. Des analyses chimiques et par diffraction aux rayons X du follicule ont confirmé ce résultat. — En se basant sur l'augmentation du calcium et du phosphore, les calcifications débutent dans le tissue folliculaire 6–12 h après une blessure d'intensité moyenne de la peau de rats, ayant reçu du dihydrotachysterol (DHT), et 24–48 h après une blessure similaire chez des rats non injectés. Les diagrammes de diffraction aux rayons X sont diffus. Trois heures après la blessure, on note une augmentation du calcium du tissu folliculaire qui ne semble pas en rapport avec le DHT qui traduit probablement une liaison de calcium plutôt qu'un dépot minéral.

Zusammenfassung

Frühere histologische Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, daß der Haarfollikel besonders anfällig für Verkalkungen ist, wenn die Haut von hypercalcämischen Ratten verletzt wird. Dieses Resultat wurde nun durch direkte chemische Bestimmungen und Röntgendiffraktions-analysen von Follikelgewebe bestätigt. Aufgrund der erhöhten Calcium- und Phosphatwerte kann gesagt werden, daß nach einer leichten Quetschung der Haut von Ratten, die mit Dihydrotachysterol (DHT) behandelt wurden, im Haarfollikelgewebe nach 6–12 Std Mineral-ablagerungen stattfanden, wogegen Kontrollratten mit der gleichen leichten Hautverletzung diese Ablagerungen erst nach 24–48 Std zeigten. Röntgendiffraktionsanalysen ergaben ein diffuses Apatit-Muster. Innerhalb 3 Std nach der Verletzung wurde ein Anstieg des Calcium-gehaltes im Follikelgewebe beobachtet, der nicht im Zusammenhang mit der DHT-Behandlung stand, also nicht eine Mineralablagerung, sondern eher eine Bindung von Calcium widerspiegelte.

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Deceased, November 1970

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Pearce, E.I.F., Cousins, F.B. & Smillie, A.C. The mineralization of hair follicle tissue. Calc. Tis Res. 8, 228–236 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02010141

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