Hair raising

The day may not be far when people
with balding pates will have a permanent solution to their problem.
Bradford University (UK) researchers have isolated hair cells from
balding pates for the first time.
(Spectrum, November-December
1995, No 249).

The research involves comparing test-tube cultures of cells from
balding and non-balding sca.ps and
zeroing in on the molecules whose
production inhibits hair growth, or
lack of which restricts hair growth.
Researchers are convinced that the
ultimate solution to baldness is in
introducing the right type of genes
into hair follicles.