Effect of Testosterone and Oestradiol-17β on Canine Hair Follicle Culture

Summary Skin biopsies were taken from four body sites (head, thorax, flank and perineum) of three male entire Beagles and the primary hair follicles were isolated. Culture conditions were established to keep the hair follicles growing for up to 7 days. Additionally, hair follicles were incubated in supplemented medium (containing insulin, transferrin, glutamine and sodium selenite) with or without the addition of testosterone (T) (1, 10 or 100 ng/ml) or oestradiol-17β (E2β) (0.01, 0.1 or 1 ng/ml), respectively and the daily growth of hair follicles was measured. In vitro daily growth of hair follicles from the thorax was stimulated by the low concentration of both hormones, but the growth of those from the flank was inhibited by the high concentration of both hormones. Hair follicles from the head were positively influenced by the lowest concentration of T and the medium concentration of E2β. The daily growth of hair follicles from the perineum was not significantly influenced by either hormone.