Sequence and Expression of Human Hair Keratin Genes

This article reviews the molecular characteristics of human hair keratins, noting their distinct classification from epidermal keratins and the variability in expression that may occur without noticeable hair changes, but reports no new study results.

This study characterizes a type II keratin intermediate filament gene family involved in early sheep follicle differentiation, detailing gene expression patterns and sequences in hair cortical cells.

This study identified and characterized a murine type II hair keratin, demonstrating its presence in specific cells of hair and tongue tissues.

Hoxc13 is important for hair and tongue development by controlling hair keratin genes.

This study found that T cytokeratins appear more gradually and with complex coexpression patterns in developing nail structures compared to the more abrupt transition in hair follicles.

This study found that trichocytic cytokeratins, typically found in hair, are also present in nails, filiform papillae of the tongue, and the epithelial reticulum of the thymus.

This study found that despite strong homology between two K16 genes, only one encoded a functional protein that assembled into keratin filaments in epithelial cells, possibly due to promoter strength differences.

This study found that cultured outer root sheath cells from human hair follicles expressed a keratin profile similar to their in vivo environment, indicating environmental influence on keratin expression.

Keratins change and are modified differently in skin layers and body parts.

Different keratin proteins are expressed in various epithelial cells at different stages, affecting cell structure and function.

This study found that specific human hair keratins are differentially expressed in the hair follicle, suggesting a shared pathway of epithelial differentiation between hair cortex and nail plate cells.