Wool fabrics were treated with keratin hydrolysate in isolated systems, in systems incorporating a cross-linking enzyme, and in systems with nanoparticle silver. The dimensions of wool fabric were controlled after keratin applications and the strength of bleached wool fabric was improved. Keratin applications imparted these improved properties when applied alone and when applied with the enzyme...

We present the complete nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of a mouse epidermal keratin subunit of 60,000 Da. The keratin possesses a central alpha-helical domain of four tracts (termed 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B) that can form coiled-coils, interspersed by short linker sequences, and has non-alpha-helical terminal domains. This pattern of secondary structure is emerging as common to all inter...

Keratin solution was separately blended with collagen, gelatin, sericin and starch for films preparation. All the blended films had smooth surfaces without phase separation, except the keratin/ starch blend film. The native keratin film showed small particles embedded in all the film surfaces that resulted in them being rough. The structure of the native keratin film changed from beta-sheet to ...

The stratified squamous epithelium is a model system in which to define molecular mechanisms underlying the switch from proliferation to differentiation. This can be achieved through the functional dissection of keratin gene promoters. Having previously established the importance of keratin 4 in maintaining the differentiated phenotype in corneal epithelial cells, we investigated the role of Sp...

The polypeptide composition of epidermal keratin varies in disease. To better understand the biological meaning of these variations, we have analyzed keratins from a number of human epidermal diseases by the immunoblot technique using AE1 and AE3 monoclonal antikeratin antibodies. The results reveal a continuous spectrum of keratin expression ranging from one closely resembling the normal in vi...

The use of bioactive materials has become a standard tool in the arsenal tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Bioactive have gained significant attention due to their ability mimic tissues physically, chemically mechanically. Although plethora both natural synthetic polymers been identified, wool-based keratin, which propensity self-assemble, is biocompatible, cytocompatib...

The outer epidermal layer of the skin is an epithelium with remarkable protective barrier functions, which is subject to pronounced physical stress in its day-to-day function. A major candidate component for absorbing this stress is the K5/K14 keratin intermediate filament network. To investigate the part played by keratins in stress resilience, keratinocyte cell lines were subjected to mechani...

Keratin 1 (KRT1) and its heterodimer partner keratin 10 (KRT10) are major constituents of the intermediate filament cytoskeleton in suprabasal epidermis. KRT1 mutations cause epidermolytic ichthyosis in humans, characterized by loss of barrier integrity and recurrent erythema. In search of the largely unknown pathomechanisms and the role of keratins in barrier formation and inflammation control...

We formulate a mathematical model to study the in vivo keratin organization in terms of repartition of the keratin material between three different structural states: soluble proteins, filament precursors and filamentous state. The model describes a cycle of assembly and disassembly of keratin material. A generic nucleation function and structural stability of filament precursors are assumed. I...