TLDR Recombinant keratins can form useful structures for medical applications, overcoming natural keratin limitations.
In this study, researchers explored the bacterial expression, purification, and solution characterization of recombinant human hair keratins K31 and K81. They found that these recombinant proteins maintained the ability to form intermediate filaments through obligate heterodimerization. Additionally, they observed novel zero- and one-dimensional nanostructures from the homooligomerization of K81 and K31, respectively. The study highlighted the significance of disulfide crosslinking in the self-assembly of keratins, suggesting that recombinant keratins could overcome the limitations of natural keratins, such as unwanted by-products and limited sequence tunability, while retaining their beneficial properties for applications in tissue engineering, wound healing, and nerve regeneration.
22 citations,
August 2015 in “PloS one” Keratin from hair binds well to gold and BMP-2, useful for bone repair.
12 citations,
January 2014 in “Cell structure and function” Different combinations of human hair keratins affect how hair fibers form.
76 citations,
December 2011 in “Journal of Cell Science” Different keratin types have unique amino acid patterns that are evolutionarily conserved.
140 citations,
August 2011 in “Biomaterials” Keratose, derived from human hair, is a non-toxic biomaterial good for tissue regeneration and integrates well with body tissues.
99 citations,
June 2011 in “Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A” Keratin hydrogels can slowly release effective ciprofloxacin to prevent infections.
517 citations,
February 2010 in “Materials” Keratin from hair and wool is used in medical materials for healing and drug delivery.
309 citations,
October 2007 in “Biomaterials” Keratin from human hair helps nerves heal faster.
91 citations,
December 2000 in “The journal of cell biology/The Journal of cell biology” Scientists successfully created mouse hair proteins in the lab, which are stable and similar to natural hair.
Human hair keratins can self-assemble and support cell growth, useful for biomedical applications.
87 citations,
July 2009 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Human beard hair medulla contains a unique and complex mix of keratins not found in other human tissues.
2 citations,
September 2020 in “Biomedical materials” Recombinant keratin materials may better promote skin cell differentiation than natural keratin.
12 citations,
January 2014 in “Cell structure and function” Different combinations of human hair keratins affect how hair fibers form.
2 citations,
April 2021 in “FEBS open bio” Human hair keratins K85 and K35 create unique filament patterns important for early hair formation.
