Development of an In Vitro technique to investigate the role of biotin in regulating wool growth in sheep

Abstract

The development of in vitro culture techniques (Ibraheem et al, 1993, 1994) for the study of caprine hair follicles has proved useful in elucidating aspects of the control of cashmere and mohair fibre production. There is a similar need to investigate nutritional and other factors which regulate the growth of sheep wool. The aim of the present study was to develop an in vitro technique to study the role of the B-vitamin biotin in controlling growth and viability of sheep wool follicles.