Objective    To investigate the expression pattern of transcription factor

paired homebox 6 (Pax6) in rat whisker hair follicle.     Methods    Whisker hair follicle was collected from 5 7-day-old SD rats. Immunohistochemical assay was carried out to detect Pax6 in the follicle. Pax6 mRNA expressions and its splicosome

Pax6-5a were detected by RT-PCR. Whisker hair follicle was primarily cultured to harvest rat hair follicle bulge cells. Then expressions of Pax6

CD34

α6-integrin

and Ki67 were detected in the obtained cells by immunofluorescent method.     Results    Pax6 was positively expressed in rat whisker hair follicle. The mRNA expression of Pax6-5a was stronger than that of Pax6. The primarily cultured cells expressed CD34 and α6-integrin in the membrane. Pax6 was mainly located in the nuclei of the cells with Ki67

and little in the cytoplasm. The proliferative ability of  the cells was correlated with the location of Pax6 protein.     Conclusion    Pax6  expresses in rat whisker hair follicle. Its expression patterns indicate that it may be involved in the formation and function of whisker hair follicle.