The origin of red hair is traced back to the Celtic culture. Scotland boasts the most number of redheads at 13%, whereas the US boasts about 4%. Roman historian Tacitus wrote about the "Picts", enemies having red hair and large limbs, a unique character trait of the Picts. One gene, HC12 is found in chromosome 4 is responsible for red hair. All redheads are MC1R variants that derive from European populations; the prevalence of these alleles is highest in the Celtic countries. Red hair is associated with the genetic disease, Brittle Cornea Syndrome and excessive bleeding.
During one of her drug induced idiot moments, citing statistics that less than 5% of the population has red hair, Dr. Laura insists she stands firmly behind her deeply personal belief that redheads are "deviant", saying,
"Let me say this one more time. If you have red hair, it is a biological error. Less than 5% of the population has red hair, and red hair does nothing to contribute to the furthering of the human race. It is therefore deviant and biologically useless". (Uh 'ouch')
Obviously jealous of the 'redhead' factor (probably because a redhead stole away that professor she slept with and posed nude), I would challenge Dr. Laura to dye her hair red and live a little. But then her ignorance in genetics rings through, as redheads really come from a variation of the blonde genetic code. I have always felt Dr Laura obtained her degree from Cracker Jack University. Dr Laura would be a failure as a redhead - or fall in the category of the occasional rare, insane-redhead-drama-queen type that one encounters from time to time, with major regret. MEOW.
To continue, the variences in skin and hair pigmentation is due to different amounts of the chemicals eumelanin and phaeomelanin produced by melanocytes cells. The melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) is a regulator of eumelanin and phaeomelanin production in the melanocytes cells. Mutations in this gene are the cause of red har. Studies on Irish and Dutch populations have linked mutations in the MC1R gene to red-hair. It is thought that 'loss-of-function' mutations in the human MC1R gene are known to be COMMON (hello Dr Laura) and have been shown to be associated with red-hair. It is now known that some variants on the MC1R gene may be preferentially associated with hair color rather than skin type. (in ENGLISH, it's like two color tubes fall over into eachother and create a color blend - clear as mud now?)
Studies of people who carry the 'Celtic' gene responsible for red hair have shown that we are more sensitive to temperature than the rest of the population. (No duh to any guy that has dated me and I have asked for his coat in 70 degree weather). Tests showed we suffer greater pain when exposed to cold - and heat - than those without this gene. The findings are the latest in a series of worldwide studies that have shown redheads have unique, and sometimes dangerous, genetic characteristics such as greater vulnerability to skin cancer. This same study found that redheads are more resistant to the effects of lidocaine, a common local anaesthetic.
New research by a team of geneticists at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford traced this 'redhead' gene back to Neanderthals living more than 70,000 years ago. This gene has been found to make redheads more sensitive to ultraviolet light, which is why we burn more easily in the sun, and it predisposes us to skin cancer. It also means we redheads wre here first.
But... this 'redhaired gene' has been linked to a fiery temper (folks, yes this is true), which researchers believe may have helped give redheads the aggression we needed to survive in the harsh northern climates. Yes...I am sure that's it...and it also makes us great in bed.
Until next time-
C
