Study on the Distribution of Hair Keratin in Normal Hair Follicles by Immunohistochemical Staining

The study investigated the distribution of the hair keratin family in normal scalp hair follicles using immunohistochemical staining. It found that different keratins were expressed in various parts of the hair follicle: RCK102 (K5, K8) in sebaceous and sweat glands, hair shaft, and root sheaths; LP1K (K7) in sebaceous and sweat glands and inner root sheath; RKSE60 (K10) in sebaceous gland; and RCK107 (K14) in the basal layer. The staining was more effective in cryosections and paraffin-embedded sections with antigen microwave restoration compared to simple paraffin-embedded sections. The study concluded that the varied distribution of hair keratin could help identify the origin of hair neoplasms.