Gene responsible for baldness

Facts

The condition in question is characterized by advancing thinning of the person’s hair. This condition is also more frequent when it comes to male, than to female population. As far as the scientific part of this condition, its more technical name is that of androgenetic alopecia, and often refers to baldness characterized by the existence of the certain patterns in occurrence and progression. In males, this condition is recognized primarily due to existence of the receding hair line, which is situated at the top of the person’s head and is the one paving the way for the complete hair loss in that particular region. When having female population in mind, the receding hairline does not occur as a direct consequence of baldness, but the hair does lose on its composition and thickness. In many cases, the occurrence of baldness in men is directly related to the presence of a specific condition or illness such as coronary heart disease, as well as due to the growth in size of the bladder and the prostate gland. Other conditions tied to baldness are also excessive obesity and diabetes. As for the female population, baldness is most frequently brought into direct relation with such conditions as PCOS (or polycystic ovary syndrome) due to the imbalance in hormones and causing obesity, hirsutism and untimely menstruation.

Role of genetics

Androgen receptors, which are produced by the AR gene, are known to aid our body in maintaining a healthy relationship with the androgen hormones. These in turn hold the responsibility for a proper sexual development, as well as hair growth in all human beings. The above mentioned receptors come in touch with these androgen hormones inside numerous tissues located inside our body, and get attached to the DNA for the purpose of androgen responsive genes activity control and regulation. In case some kind of mutation in AR genes does occur along the way, this can set forth the pattern baldness gene in men. The changes in question can occur due to any kind of a minor alteration in the DNA pairs, which comprise the AR gene. What numerous research studies have shown so far is that the hormone held responsible for AR gene mutation – the DHT, is the main reason why AR gene is also considered to be and termed as the baldness gene. As a direct consequence of the above described imbalance in hormones, follicles located inside the hair exhibit sensitivity to hair growth.

In addition, these gene mutations can cause the decrease in size of the hair follicles in the course of the years, and it is this that induces the thinning of the hair, which, if persistent for longer periods of time, makes it impossible for the hair to grow in the follicle itself.