Fig. 2

Autophagy promotes mice hair follicle cycle and HFSC activation. A Representative immunofluorescence images of dorsal hair follicles treated with control,3-MA (24 h) or Rapa (24 h) stained with anti-LC3B antibody(red) and anti-K15 antibody(green). B Representative immunofluorescence images of dorsal hair follicles treated with control,3-MA (24 h) or Rapa (24 h) stained with anti-P62 antibody (green) and anti-K15 antibody(red). C Quantification of LC3B-fluorescent dots/cell in K15 + HFSCs region of control,3-MA-treated or Rapa-treated hair follicles(left); Quantification of P62-fluorescent signal in K15 + HFSCs region of control,3-MA-treated or Rapa-treated hair follicles(right). D Inhibition of autophagy inhibits hair regeneration.C57BL/6 mice were shaved on postnatal week 8–9 and topically treated with control or 3-MA every other day. Photographs were taken on day 7,9,11 post-treatment. (E) Quantification of melanin pigmentation in dorsal skin. F Enhanced autophagy induces hair regeneration.C57BL/6 mice were shaved on postnatal week 8–9 and topically treated with control, 3-MA or Rapa every other day. Photographs were taken on day 7,9,11 post-treatment. G Quantification of melanin pigmentation and hair covered area on dorsal skin. H Microphotographs of H&E stained skin tissue section from mice treated with control, 3-MA or Rapa. I, J Rapa increases the number of Ki67 + HFSCs (white arrow). I Representative immunofluorescence images of dorsal hair follicles treated with control, 3-MA or Rapa stained with anti-Ki67 antibody (green). J Quantification for the number of Ki67 + HFSCs in dorsal hair follicle. The data represent the means ± S.E.M from at least three independent experiments. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001, determined by Student’s t-test, 3-MA or Rapa versus Control