] University of Michigan graduate student David Van Mater
] had expected to see tumors growing on the shaved backs of
] a group of experimental lab mice.
]
] He had activated a cell-signaling protein called
] beta-catenin that is known to prompt development of
] several forms of cancer. But what he saw was that the
] bare skin of the mice was rapidly growing new hair -- so
] fast that the bald patches were completely filled in
] within 15 days.
]
] Writing in the May issue of the journal Genes and
] Development published today, Van Mater and supervisors at
] the university's medical school report that the one-time
] activation was sufficient to regrow missing hair.
]
] But the research, while suggesting some potential
] strategies for inducing hair growth, won't bring an end
] to comb-overs anytime soon.

I can imagine the researcher's surprise - this seems a lot like planting turnips and getting roses.