The Fine Histology of the Keratin Fibers

Lindberg, Joel; Mercer, E. H.; Philip, Bo; Gralén, Nils

doi:10.1177/004051754901901101

Cited by 63 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Fibres.--The present conclusions concerning the structure of keratin are in good agreement with those drawn from an examination of fragments of fibres which have been disintegrated by chemical procedures designed to reverse the process of keratinisation (19). Farrant, Rees, and Mercer (12) reduced, ethylated, and digested wool with pepsin to free the fibrils and obtained suspensions of fine filaments about 100 A in diameter; these are probably the same structures as those now found in sections.…”

Section: Comparison With Electron Microscopy Of Fragments Ofsupporting

confidence: 83%

The Electron Microscopy of the Human Hair Follicle

Birbeck

Mercer

1957

The Journal of Cell Biology

247

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1. The presumptive cortical cells of hair in the undifferentiated matrix of the bulb contain mitochondria, agranular vesicles, and many small dense R.N.P. particles, but no keratin, pigment granules, or endoplasmic reticulum. 2. In the mid-bulb region intercellular adhesion is limited to small localised areas. Intercellular gaps are common and the cell surfaces are irregularly convoluted. The melanocyte processes penetrate the cell gaps. The relation between their pigment-bearing tips and the involutions of the cell membranes suggests an active phagocytosis of the tips. 3. Fibrous keratin first appears in loose parallel strands of fine filaments (ca. 60 A diameter) in the mid-bulb. The filaments, the long mitochondria, and elongated nucleus are all parallel to the long axis of the cell and the axis of the follicle. 4. At the level of the constriction of the bulb and above, a dense amorphous substance appears between the fine filaments and apparently acts as adhesive cement. The bundles of filaments now form well defined fibrils. The packing of the filaments within the fibrils is in places hexagonal and elsewhere in the form of "whorls." 5. At higher levels further filaments and interfilamentous cement are added together and the whole cytoplasmic space becomes packed with fibrils which finally condense to massive blocks of keratin. The residual cellular material occupies the interstices. 6. The addition of the interfilamentous substance is regarded as an essential factor in keratinisation. Keratin is considered to be a complex made of fine filaments (α-filaments) embedded in an amorphous substance (γ-keratin) which has the higher cystine content. 7. The wide-angle fibre-type x-ray pattern is thought to be due to scattering by the fine α-filaments and some low angle lateral spacings to the filament-plus-cement structure.

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Section: Comparison With Electron Microscopy Of Fragments Ofsupporting

confidence: 83%

The Electron Microscopy of the Human Hair Follicle

Birbeck

Mercer

1957

The Journal of Cell Biology

247

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“…This is in agrement with the observations of all other workers. However, since the work of Lindberg et al [19], it has often been stated that it is the penetrability of the epicuticle which determines the rate of dyeing of wool. Lindberg et al showed that the rate of dyeing was increased by treatments which damaged or removed the epicuticle, and this has led to acceptance of the idea that its damage or removal is necessary for an increased rate of dyeing.…”

Section: Visibility Of Changes Produced By Permangaanddquo;atelsait Trementioning

confidence: 99%

Some New Observations on the Effects of Mild Shrinkproofing Treatments on Wool Fibers

Makinson

1968

Textile Research Journal

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When wool fibers which have been shrinkproofed by either the KMnO 4 /salt process or a dry chlorination process are examined with the optical microscope, normally, very little effect of the treatment can be seen. However, if they are straightened for the examination, a number of differences between treated and control fibers can easily be seen, especially if water is present. The principal effects are that the scales on the treated fibers, but not on the untreated, become less prominent as the fibers are straightened and that this change is much greater on the side which was the intrados of the crimp curve than on the extrados. Microscopic observation of fibers sliding on each other or over a diffraction grating also reveals effects of the treatment: the deformation of the scales of treated fibers is more plastic and less elastic than that of untreated and the sliding of the treated fibers is more heavily damped. From these and other observations, the conclusion has been drawn that these treatments degrade the protein inside the scales so that it becomes more viscous and less elastic, particularly when it is swollen by or dissolved in water. The epicuticle appears to be unbroken and still elastic.These results throw some light on the well-known disagreement between different workers about the changes produced in the coefficients of friction of wool fibers by the KMnO 4 /salt treatment.

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“…A review of the role of this membrane was given by Lindberg, Mercer, Philip, and Gralen [9]. However, doubt has been aroused as to the validity of the conclusion of the continuous skin and the sufficiency of the underlying experimental evidence.…”

Section: Structural Details Of the Surface Layers Of Woolmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From studies of the formation of the Allw6rden blister, Lindberg [8 J concluded that the epicuticle forms a continuous skin over the whole fiber. A review of the role of this membrane was given by Lindberg, Mercer, Philip, and Gralen [9]. However, doubt has been aroused as to the validity of the conclusion of the continuous skin and the sufficiency of the underlying experimental evidence.…”

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confidence: 99%

Structural Details of the Surface Layers of Wool

Lagermalm

1954

Textile Research Journal

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IntroductionStudies by Lindberg, Philip, and Gralen [7] revealed that the wool fiber is covered by a thin membrane, the epicuticle, with a thickness of an order of magnitude of 100 A. This membrane can be separated from the fiber by different chemical methods. Elementary analyses of these membranes give different chemical compositions for the different methods employed [5]. Similar membranes can be separated from other structures of animal origin [6, 15, 16~ . From studies of the formation of the Allw6rden blister, Lindberg [8 J concluded that the epicuticle forms a continuous skin over the whole fiber. A review of the role of this membrane was given by Lindberg, Mercer, Philip, and Gralen [9]. However, doubt has been aroused as to the validity of the conclusion of the continuous skin and the sufficiency of the underlying experimental evidence. Zahn [19], for instance, stated that every scale is surrounded by a thin membrane, and O'Reilly et al. [12] made a similar suggestion. FIG. 1. The exocllticle layer becomes thinner ~eith increasing distance f royn the scale edges. The edge in the middle, common to the two scales, likewise becomes thinner; finally the surface layers fronz both scales end zep in a comyrton layer of epicuticle. Phenol-tr}'ptic digested specimen, deposited on SiO, 1tnshadoll'ed. Phenol-Tryptic DigestionTreatment with phenol at 100° C for 2 hrs. followed by digestion with trypsin at pH 8-9 gave specimens in which the scaly structure still could be recognized [10]. These studies have been continued. Figure 1 is from a preparation obtained by this method. The specimen is unshadowed and deposited on a SiO membrane. The scale edges are rather thick, but the exocuticle layer adhering to the part next to them gets thinner with increasing distance from the edges. The edge in the middle, common to the two scales forming the specimen, likewise gets gradually thinner, and finally both scales end up in a common sheet of epicuticle, free from contaminating substance. Iv r i -----4 FIG. 2. Tlze ends of a scale edge end bll*ndIN, ill a sheet of epicnticle and adhering exocuticle. The streakiuesss, 'With a periodicity of approximatel;;, O.3I-L, riiiis contin2c-ollslJ' from tlze one scale to tlae other. Phenol-try~tie digested specimen, Pd-shadO't,l'ed at an angle 4:1. at FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIV on June 28, 2015 trj.sagepub.com Downloaded from 18 FIG. 3. Ridges (curled or corkscrew-shaped structures running parallel to the main directiove of td2e scale edges) are seei/. Oite of theaaz protrudes from the scale edge and seems to be reiiaforcing it. A string runs between tzoo scale edges. Tlze streakiness r2cvas ivc the length direction of the fiber. Phenol-tryptic digested specÍ1nen, deposited on SiO, unshadowed. FIG. 4. Striated surface-layer sl2eet with strings and the curled remnants of a ridge. The holes are located on the strings. Phenol-tryptic digested specimen) Pdshadowed at an angle 4: 1.Figure 2 shows part of a specimen from the same type of preparation, but which is Pd-shadowed at an angle 4: ...

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The Fine Histology of the Keratin Fibers

Cited by 63 publications

References 17 publications

The Electron Microscopy of the Human Hair Follicle

The Electron Microscopy of the Human Hair Follicle

Some New Observations on the Effects of Mild Shrinkproofing Treatments on Wool Fibers

Structural Details of the Surface Layers of Wool

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