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Combing the genome for the root cause of baldness

Nature Genetics volume 40, pages 1270–1271 (2008)Cite this article

Two new studies report the results of genome-wide association analysis for androgenetic alopecia. The two major genetic loci identified set the scene for understanding the molecular basis of common male-pattern baldness.

One of the most obvious human genetic traits is baldness, affecting about 50% of the male population and a small number of women. There are many causes of alopecia, and several genes for monogenic forms of hair loss have emerged recently. Now, two independent studies1,2 on pages 1279 and 1282 report the results from genome-wide association analysis in relation to the most common form of hair loss in the human population—androgenetic alopecia (AGA), more commonly known as male-pattern baldness.

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Figure 1: Complexity of tissue architecture and gene expression in the hair follicle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. W. H. Irwin McLean is Professor of Human Genetics and Director of The Epithelial Genetics Group, University of Dundee, Scotland DD1 5EH, UK. w.h.i.mclean@dundee.ac.uk,

    W H Irwin McLean

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  1. W H Irwin McLean
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McLean, W. Combing the genome for the root cause of baldness. Nat Genet 40, 1270–1271 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1108-1270

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