20 citations
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December 2010 in “Journal of Morphology” In this study, researchers found that alpha-keratin homologs similar to those in mammalian hair are present in the claws of the lizard Anolis carolinensis, suggesting a structural role during claw formation.
356 citations
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December 1986 in “The journal of cell biology/The Journal of cell biology” 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.
36 citations
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November 2019 in “Molecular biology and evolution” This study suggests that the keratins found in reptile and bird skin appendages evolved independently from mammalian hair keratins, highlighting convergent evolution in these species.
115 citations
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November 2008 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” In this study, the researchers found that mammalian hair likely evolved through the adaptation of existing structural proteins, as similar cysteine-rich α-keratins were identified in chicken and lizard genomes, suggesting pre-mammalian origins.
88 citations
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June 2000 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Keratin 17 is important for hair and nail structure and affects pachyonychia congenita symptoms.
