The keratin proteins and genes of wool and hair.

This review from 1996 outlined the state of knowledge regarding wool keratin proteins and their genes, focusing on structural aspects. It highlighted the significant database of sequence information acquired through molecular techniques over the previous decade, combined with earlier protein data. The review emphasized the challenge of determining the location and interaction of these proteins within the keratin IF/matrix complex. Gene mapping programs were beginning to reveal links between keratin genes, impacting the understanding of keratin gene regulation. The study of keratin gene regulation was in its early stages but expected to be a growing field. A notable discovery was a transcription factor that regulated both hair keratin gene expression and hair follicle initiation, illustrating the convergence of different research fields.