The shiver switch that also grows hair

The same reflex that gives you goosebumps also helps your hair grow back faster. Scientists at Harvard and National Taiwan University found that the nerve that raises goosebumps wraps around hair follicle stem cells. In a quick chill, the nerve fires briefly to make the hair stand up. But in lasting cold, it fires steadily and tells the stem cells to grow hair faster. The nerve acts like a dimmer switch, not just an on-off button. The study in Cell shows stem cells read the nerve's rhythm to tell a brief cold from a long one. This could help scientists understand how other stem cells sense their environment in things like wound healing.

License: TypeCram Original