Diversity of Trichocyte Keratins and Keratin-Associated Proteins

The document discussed the diversity of keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) in wool and hair fibers, highlighting their primary composition of these proteins. It identified two major families of keratins, with 11 members in the acidic Type I family and 7 in the neutral-basic Type II family. KAPs were noted to be even more diverse, with 35 families across various mammalian species. Human hair and wool contained 88 and 73 KAPs, respectively, with the number for wool increasing when considering polymorphism within KAP families.