A Study of the Components of the Cornified Epithelium of Human Skin

Pulverized cornified epithelium of human skin was divided into a "soluble fraction" and a "residue." About half of the "soluble fraction" proved to be soluble epidermal keratin (keratin A); the remainder, dialyzable substances of low molecular weight. The "residue&...

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Published inJournal of biophysical and biochemical cytology Vol. 1; no. 4; pp. 339 - 360
Main Authors Matoltsy, A. Gedeon, Balsamo, Constance A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research 25.07.1955
The Rockefeller University Press
Subjects
Cell Membrane
Cell membranes
Electrophoresis
Epidermis
Epithelium
Humans
Hydroxides
Keratins
Molecular Weight
Old Medline
Phosphates
Proteins
Refraction
Renal Dialysis
Room temperature
Skin
Skin Physiological Phenomena
Sodium
EPITHELIUM
SKIN/physiology
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Summary:Pulverized cornified epithelium of human skin was divided into a "soluble fraction" and a "residue." About half of the "soluble fraction" proved to be soluble epidermal keratin (keratin A); the remainder, dialyzable substances of low molecular weight. The "residue" contained epidermal keratin and resistant cell membranes of cornified cells. Epidermal keratin was found to form an oriented and dense submicroscopic structure in the cornified cells. It showed high resistance toward strong acid and moderately strong alkali solutions as well as concentrated urea. In strong alkali, reducing substances, alkaline urea, and mixtures of reducing substance with alkali, epidermal keratin dissociated and yielded a non-dialyzable derivative of high molecular weight (keratin B) which resembled true proteins. The cell membranes of cornified cells showed higher resistance toward strong alkali and reducing substance than did epidermal keratin.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0095-9901
0021-9525
2327-7440
1540-8140
DOI:10.1083/jcb.1.4.339