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Evolutionary basis of the goosebumps decrypted
When it’s cold, we get goose bumps, but really helpful this response to temperature stimulus does not appear. Why is she remained in the course of human Evolution, then still get? In a recent study, it has now been decrypted, the evolutionary basis of the creeps.
A research team at Harvard University and the National Taiwan University has found that due to the muscle contraction, which leads to goose bumps, the stem cells in the hair follicles are affected and, where appropriate, with new hair growth to respond. So, it could follow in the case of sustained cold increased hair growth, this is for the protection of the skin. The results of the current study were published in the journal “Cell”.
When the hairs stand on end
It was already known that there is a connection between the Nervus sympathicus, and the muscle, so that when it is cold, a nerve signal is triggered, the muscle is pulling then together and hair stand on end. A real help against the perceived coldness of this effect however does not offer to the people. However, the research team discovered in its latest study on mice, an additional effect based on an interaction between the Nervus sympathicus, the muscle and the hair follicle stem cells.
Nervus sympathicus connected with stem cells
egg of the electron microscopic examination of the skin with extremely high resolution have shown that the sympathetic nerve is not associated only with the muscle, but also a direct connection to the hair follicle stem cells produces, according to the research team. The nerve fibers were wrapped like a Band around the hair follicle stem cells of the muscle form the support of this connection. Thus, the activity of the stem cells could be controlled.
Activation lets new hair grow
Normally, the sympathetic nervous system is activated at a constantly low level, the homeostasis of the body to maintain, and this low level of nervous activity that keeps the stem cells in a state of Regeneration ready, explained the research team. In case of prolonged cold, the nerve will be activated but on a much higher level and “there are more Neurotransmitter released, so that the stem cells activate quickly, the hair follicles and regenerate new hair to grow.”
Changes in stem cell activity due to temperature fluctuations
Thus, the same cell types that cause goose bumps, also for the control of hair growth responsible for more reported to the research team. It’ll be clear how different cell types interact, the stem cell activity according to the changes in the external environment. “In this study, we identify an interesting Two-components-niche, which not only regulates the stem cells in the steady state, but also the behaviour of stem cells in dependence on temperature fluctuations in the environment modulate,” says Ya-Chieh Hsu Harvard University.
Goosebumps are a response to in the short term, a kind of relief, which has less body hair, no really noticeable effect. However, it is also part of the interaction between Nervus sympathicus, muscle and hair follicle stem cells, initiated in the ongoing cold weather in the stem cells of an additional hair growth. Herein, the evolutionary explanation of the goosebumps could be. Because in the future, the skin needs to be able to still respond to a drop in temperature. (fp)