Degradation of Human Hair Keratin Scaffold Implanted for Repairing Injured Skeletal Muscles

The study investigated the degradation process of human hair keratin (HHK) scaffolds used for repairing injured skeletal muscles. It was found that the HHK scaffold was initially degraded extracellularly by the ubiquitin system into particles. These particles were then phagocytosed by cells and further degraded through the cooperation of lysosomes and the ubiquitin system. Concurrently, satellite cells were activated, leading to their proliferation and eventual fusion into newly generated muscle fibers.