Fibrous proteins of normal and abnormal human epidermis

Abstract

Keratin proteins of human epidermis were isolated from normal and abnormal tissues. The normal proteins whether removed from living layers (prekeratin) or from the stratum corneum (keratin) consisted of 3 chains, MW 65,000 (A), 60,000 (B) and 52,000 (C). When compared with the epidermal proteins isolated from abnormal tissues, differences can be detected in the electrophoretic pattern of the subunits. In general, relative amounts of the individual chains are altered and in specific cases 1 or 2 of the polypeptides found normally are missing. All the .alpha.-fibrous proteins extracted are very similar in amino acid composition.