Protector Protein MCL-1 Could Enable Hair Regrowth

A Nature Communications study identifies MCL-1 as a cellular safeguard that lets activated hair follicle stem cells survive the stress of regrowth; without MCL-1, p53-driven cell death destroys the stem cells and halts hair regeneration, while blocking p53 can resume growth. ERBB signaling boosts MCL-1, and removing just one copy of the Bak gene can restore normal growth even without MCL-1, pointing to new therapeutic avenues for alopecia and broader insights into stem‑cell repair and cancer.