2011: The Year In Hair Hair is important! More specifically, it is critical for the detection of disgusting, blood-sucking insects. Hair is really important! It has now been conclusively shown (to the tune of seven supplemental figures in Cell) that different classes of mechanosensory neurons innervating the skin associate with different types of hair follicles in a stereotyped manner. This means that the relative amount of displacement among follicle types produces a population code that can be used by the brain to figure out the properties of a tactile stimulus. For hilarious CGI reconstruction of mouse fur, see above. Perhaps 2012 will bring a cure for male pattern baldness (hopefully before Doomsday).

2011: The Year In Hair

  • Hair is important! More specifically, it is critical for the detection of disgusting, blood-sucking insects.
  • Hair is really important! It has now been conclusively shown (to the tune of seven supplemental figures in Cell) that different classes of mechanosensory neurons innervating the skin associate with different types of hair follicles in a stereotyped manner. This means that the relative amount of displacement among follicle types produces a population code that can be used by the brain to figure out the properties of a tactile stimulus. For hilarious CGI reconstruction of mouse fur, see above.

Perhaps 2012 will bring a cure for male pattern baldness (hopefully before Doomsday).

    Notes

    1. superorganism posted this