Encyclopedia · protein or peptide
SCUBE3
A protein released by the hair follicle's command centre only while hair is growing; injecting it into mouse skin was enough to start new growth, with no human data yet.
What it is
A secreted protein of the SCUBE family. It is a lab tool and drug-discovery target, not a product.
How it works
In mice, overactive Hedgehog signalling in the dermal papilla (the follicle's control centre) produced hyperactive hair growth. One of the secreted factors it switched on was SCUBE3, which acts on a TGF-beta pathway; blocking TGF-beta rescued the effect. In normal mouse skin SCUBE3 appears only in the dermal papillae of growing follicles. The senior authors filed a provisional patent on SCUBE3 for hair growth.
What the studies show
- Microinjecting SCUBE3 protein induced new hair growth in mice, and its expression and effect were reported as partially conserved in human follicles. Mice and human tissue only. Liu 2022
- A plant extract and its compound agerarin raised SCUBE3 in human dermal papilla cells and lengthened shafts in follicle culture. One author works at a venture company. Lab only. Kim 2026
- No human trial was found.
How it's used in studies
Microinjection of recombinant protein into mouse skin; plant-extract concentrations in cell culture. No human dose exists.
Side effects and safety
Unknown. TGF-beta signalling is also involved in scarring and cancer biology, so systemic use would need study.
Bottom line
An exciting upstream target, but treat any "SCUBE3 serum" marketing with strong skepticism: we found no human data. Discuss with a doctor.
Fun facts
- A single signalling protein made by dermal papilla cells was enough to start new hair growth when injected into mice. Liu 2022
Studies 2
Liu Y et al. Hedgehog signaling reprograms hair follicle niche fibroblasts to a hyper-activated state. Dev Cell. 2022
Result: SCUBE3 protein microinjection induced new hair growth in mice; expression and effect partially conserved in human follicles.
Read the study ↗Kim Y et al. Ageratum houstonianum extract and agerarin promote hair growth via SCUBE3. Int J Mol Sci. 2026
Result: Extract raised SCUBE3, increased anagen proportion and shaft elongation in culture; one author at a venture company.
Read the study ↗Related
- OsteopontinHairy moles are hairy because senescent pigment cells release osteopontin, which woke hair stem cells in mice and stimulated human follicles in culture, while a modified fragment of the same protein did the opposite.
- MinoxidilThe most widely used hair-growth treatment, available as a cheap over-the-counter lotion or foam and as a prescription tablet, with a mechanism that is still only partly understood.
- Hair growth pipeline (2026)What is in clinical trials for hair loss as of October 2026, how far along it is, and how much to trust the early numbers.