Mammalian hard α-keratins are fibre-reinforced biomaterials that consist of 10 nm intermediate filaments (IFs) embedded in an elastomeric protein matrix. Recent work suggests that the mechanical properties of IFs are highly sensitive to hydration, whereas hard α-keratins such as wool, hair and nail are relatively hydration insensitive. This raises the question of how mammalian keratins remain s...

The purpose of this study was to measure the thickness of canine epidermis at various anatomical sites according to localization of cornified envelopes (involucrin and filaggrin), keratins (keratin 10, 5), and their mRNA expression. This was done in the skin of five breeds of dogs including seven poodles, six golden retrievers, six Shih Tzus, four pugs, and four Labrador retrievers. Epidermal t...

It has generally been accepted that keratins are not attacked by enzymes. In a review of the literature by Barritt (1) the property of non-digestibility was an essential part of the definition of a keratin. However, there has been evidence for the digestion of wool by pancreatin. Wool that had been suspended in solutions of varying pH (2 to 10) for 48 hours at room temperature was slowly attack...

This study examines the attributes of keratin intermediate filaments in single, live, nonmotile epithelial cells under steady-state conditions. From their substantive findings, the authors proposed a spatially and temporally defined “keratin cycle” that accounts for the genesis, maturation, and turnover of keratin filaments in the setting of live epithelial cells in culture. I suspect that, jus...

Since 1994, four cases of epidermal nevus with epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (EH) caused by keratin 10 gene mutations have been reported, although no keratin 1 (K1) gene mutation has yet been reported. We detected a K1 gene (KRT1) mutation in epidermal nevus with EH in a 10-year-old Japanese male. The patient showed well-demarcated verrucous, hyperkeratotic plaques mainly on the trunk, covering ...

Lorenzo Alibardi (2010) Cornification of the beak of Rana dalmatina tadpoles suggests the presence of basic keratin-associated proteins. Zoological Studies 49(1): 51-63. An ultrastructural, immunocytochemical, and electrophoretic study on keratinocytes formation in the horny beak of tadpoles of the frog Rana dalmatina was conducted. The study showed that hard cornification in amphibians occurs ...

Avian integumentary organs include feathers, scales, claws, and beaks. They cover the body surface and play various functions to help adapt birds to diverse environments. These keratinized structures are mainly composed of corneous materials made of α-keratins, which exist in all vertebrates, and β-keratins, which only exist in birds and reptiles. Here, members of the keratin gene families were...

Epiplakin, a member of the plakin protein family, is exclusively expressed in epithelial tissues and was shown to bind to keratins. Epiplakin-deficient (EPPK-/-) mice showed no obvious spontaneous phenotype, however, EPPK-/- keratinocytes displayed faster keratin network breakdown in response to stress. The role of epiplakin in pancreas, a tissue with abundant keratin expression, was not yet kn...

Corticosteroids are important in the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses, such as psoriasis. They have anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and immunosuppressive effects. In this study, the effect of budesonide on proliferation, inflammatory cells and cytokines in psoriasis was investigated. In order to elucidate the time course of the different effects of corticosteroid treatment in psoriasi...