A Microarray-Based Analysis Reveals That A Short Photoperiod Promotes Hair Growth in the Arbas Cashmere Goat. Capra hircus

we evaluated the Arbas Cashmere goat, a species that is especially used in this type of research. The goats were exposed to an experimentally controlled short photoperiod to study the regulation of cyclical cashmere growth. Exposure to a short photoperiod extended the anagen phase of the Cashmere goat hair follicle to increase cashmere production. Based on assessments of tissue sections, it was observed that the short photoperiod significantly induced cashmere growth. A comparison of the differences in gene expression between the short photoperiod and the natural conditions using gene chip technology supported this conclusion. Using the gene chip data, we identified genes that showed altered expression under the short photoperiod compared to natural conditions, and it was found that these genes are involved in the biological processes of hair follicle growth, structural composition of the hair follicle, and the morphogenesis of the surrounding skin appendages. Overall design: Based on their similar weights, health conditions and good reproductive performance in a group of the same strain, we chose 62-year-old female adult Arbas Cashmere goats as our research specimens and randomly divided them into a test group (T1, T2, T3) and a control group (C1, C2, C3).The goats in the test group were grazed, fed, and allowed to drink from 9:30-16:30 daily, and they were housed in a dark shed with good air conditions for the rest of the time. The temperature in the shed was 1 degree less than that outside, and the opacity was controlled at approximately 0.1 lux. The control group was grazed in natural conditions. We used regular management to care for all of the goats.

本研究以该领域研究常用的阿尔巴斯绒山羊（Arbas Cashmere goat）为对象，通过实验控制短光照周期处理山羊，以探究周期性羊绒生长的调控机制。短光照周期处理可延长绒山羊毛囊的生长期，进而提升羊绒产量。经组织切片评估发现，短光照周期可显著促进羊绒生长。采用基因芯片技术对比短光照周期与自然条件下的基因表达差异，验证了上述结论。基于基因芯片数据，我们筛选出短光照周期相较于自然条件下表达量发生显著变化的基因，经分析发现这些基因参与毛囊生长、毛囊结构组成以及周边皮肤附属器形态发生等生物学过程。
试验设计：基于同品系山羊体重相近、健康状况良好且繁殖性能优异的筛选标准，我们选取6只成年雌性阿尔巴斯绒山羊作为试验材料，将其随机分为试验组（T1、T2、T3）与对照组（C1、C2、C3）。试验组山羊每日9:30-16:30进行放牧、饲喂与饮水，其余时间安置于通风良好的暗舍内；舍内温度较室外低1℃，光照强度控制在约0.1勒克斯。对照组山羊在自然条件下放牧，所有受试山羊均采用常规饲养管理方式。