Genetic and biochemical aspects of the synthesis of keratin by hair follicles

Advances in the area of synthesis and genetic regulation of keratin by the wool-creating structures of the skin, i.e., the hair follicles, is generalized. It is stated that differentiation of the cells of the hair bulb matrix, like normal growth of hair, requires the coordinated action of numerous genes, in particular, the expression of genes associated with synthesis of structural proteins. It is shown that all the keratin genes of the follicle are clustered in families and occupy approximately 5–10 kb in the genome. At the present time certain clusters of two families of IF genes (intermediate hair proteins) along with five families of KAR genes (keratin-associated proteins) have been mapped. The close relations that exist between these clusters give us a basis for claiming that “global” regulator domains are capable of regulating their expression.