Relating Self-assembly to Spatio-temporal Keratin Expression in the Wool Follicle

抄録

Two of the present authors have presented a model for macrofibril template self-assembly which is based on a concerted process of sudden, delayed, short filament formation with immediate phase transfer to a lyotropic liquid crystal (mesophase). In recent years, information on the spatio-temporal patterns of keratin protein expression within wool follicles has come to hand, and we here report some recently acquired important information in this area. If the “mesophase model” is to remain credible it must be compatible with the spatio-temporal patterns of keratin expression. This paper explores the match between the mesophase model and patterns of protein expression, and concludes that they are broadly consistent. At present the model does not extend to keratin associated protein (KAP) expression. The model is also particularly successful in explaining macrofibril structural features in different cell types.