Hair Keratins And Hair Follicle-Specific Epithelial Keratins

The document reviewed the structure and expression of hair keratins and hair follicle-specific epithelial keratins, highlighting the differences between hair keratins and epithelial keratins, particularly in their cysteine content. It detailed the classification of human hair keratin genes into type I and type II subfamilies, each with distinct groups based on structural similarities. The study emphasized the expression patterns of these keratins during hair differentiation and their localization in various compartments of the hair follicle. It also discussed the challenges in studying keratin expression due to the high homology of keratin gene sequences and the dense accumulation of keratins in hair cortex cells. The review aimed to describe methods for studying keratin expression, including in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and gel electrophoresis, providing insights into tissue processing and potential pitfalls in these techniques.