Genetic and Biochemical Aspects of Keratin Synthesis by Hair Follicles
April 2007
in “
PubMed
”
Studysummary This review summarizes research on the synthesis and gene regulation of keratin in hair follicles, noting that coordinated gene activity is essential for hair follicle differentiation and normal hair growth, with gene clusters suggesting possible global regulatory domains.
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The review article discussed the genetic and biochemical aspects of keratin synthesis by hair follicles, highlighting the importance of gene regulation in the differentiation of hair follicle matrix cells and normal hair growth. It was noted that keratin genes are organized in clusters within the genome, typically ranging from 5-10 kb. The study identified two keratin intermediate filament (IF) gene families and five keratin-associated protein (KAP) gene families, some of which have been mapped. The proximity of these clusters suggested that "global" regulatory domains might control their expression, indicating a coordinated mechanism in keratin synthesis essential for hair development.
