In Vivo Formation Steps of the Hard Alpha-Keratin Intermediate Filament Along a Hair Follicle: Evidence for Structural Polymorphism

    January 2006 in “ Journal of Structural Biology ”
    Mériem Er-Rafik, Fatma Briki, Manfred Burghammer, J. Doucet
    TLDR Hair follicles form hard α-keratin filaments in four steps, showing structural differences.
    The study investigated the formation of hard α-keratin intermediate filaments along a hair follicle using X-ray microdiffraction. It identified four structural zones that corresponded to previously described histological and chemical zones: the bulb zone, elongation zone, keratinization zone, and post-hardening zone. The research revealed two major types of filaments, with one type in the upper zone matching the known architecture of hard α-keratin and another in a lower zone with a larger diameter and low-density core. These findings led to a proposed four-step model for the formation of hard α-keratin filaments, enhancing the understanding of the self-assembly process of keratin in hair follicles.
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