Scientists first discovered the gene and the gene graying beard – BBC

The soft, thick, shiny hair – a subject of pride of every woman. And the appearance of the precious “silver” on the hair more upset than appreciate the beautiful half of humanity: gray indicates the onset of age of the body changes. Hair color due to the presence of dark pigment melanin. With age, worn out cells, pigment production is reduced and the hair is “discolor»

Perhaps, in the near future to worry because of gray hair people do not need to constantly touch up hair:

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An international team of scientists from University college London for the first time found a gray hair gene – iRF4.

Until now, researchers were only available information about the genetic causes of baldness and hair color. Now biologists may say that the appearance of gray hair is primarily due to heredity and environmental factors, such as poor diet or a perm, most are minor.

Researchers previously encountered irf4 gene, as it had It is involved in the process of granting the hair color. The study shows that the same gene color and picks. The study’s authors argue that, based on these results, pharmaceutical companies will be able to develop tools for slowing or complete blocking of the gene mutations of gray in the hair follicle. Study leader Professor Address Ruiz-Linares, said that

any information obtained on the mechanisms of wear of the cells at the genetic level are one step closer scientists to understand the aging process.

detailed description of gene IRF4 no less important for forensic -Medical examinations. Modern technology is available to build human portraits on the basis of the structure of DNA. Thus repeatedly restored image of the Europeans, and now, after the described studies, it is possible to build portraits of Latinos and Asians.

In the course of this work, biologists analyzed the structure of the hair more than 6 thousand. Man with roots in Latin America. The study involved people from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru. The group studied included people of mixed European (48%) and Africa (6%) and the origin of Native Americans (46%). Men and women were almost equal proportions. Both groups were tested on the following parameters: hair structure (straight or curly), the color, the tendency to baldness and loss of pigment melanin, ie gray hair

In addition, scientists have to analyze the hairs of the male beard and eyebrows. trying to determine which affects their shape and in the case of the eyebrows, splice. To learn more about how the study proceeded, available on the Nature Communications journal

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Having done a great job, in addition to the scientists responsible for the graying gene IRF4 able to identify and describe

PRSS53 – curly hair gene, EDAR, responsible of the thickness and shape of the beard hairs, FOXL2, affecting the density of the eyebrows, as well as of PAX3, which is responsible for the occurrence of unibrow.

Scientists recognize that each of the identified genes are unlikely to play a unique and crucial role for the formation of thin eyebrows or early appearance of gray hair. Biological processes occur in the interaction of different genes, a complex which remains to be determined.

However, there is not only the gray hair due to genetic reasons. In the long-entrenched language expressions such as “turned gray with grief” or “turned gray with fear.” According to legend, the 37-year-old Marie Antoinette is completely turned gray in the night before his execution. Numerous attempts of scientists to confirm or dispel this myth, as well as other examples of abrupt onset of gray hair led to the description of a special “Marie Antoinette syndrome”, which was thoroughly describes in the journal JAMA Dermatology. The essence of this syndrome is that people sedeet after strong stress for a very short time – so scientists known case of 63-year-old man who completely turned gray in a few weeks after the fall of the stairs

The responsibility for the appearance of gray. hair by strong emotions bears the following pattern: scientists know that after stress violated the structure of DNA in many cells of the body (for example, due to “fatigue” from the struggle with stressful situations may arise or be exacerbated by heart disease or peptic ulcers). However, researchers are still unknown mechanisms of DNA damage themselves structures after chronic stress. In 2010, the research team led by Robert Lefkowitz, Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2012, conducted a series of experiments to identify cellular processes reflect stress in mice. It was found that the appearance of gray hair is indeed one of the possible consequences of a stressful situation.

This means that the expression “turn gray from fear” is also a description of a very real situation, not just a metaphor because the fear – is also a great stress

while scientists are working on the creation of a new drug against gray hair, as a preventive measure, they are advised to increase the intake of products containing protein, iron, zinc and copper, as well. also do not forget the vitamins A, B and C.