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Understanding Cerebellar Pattern Formation
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Macrofibril Formation.

Duane P Harland1, A John McKinnon2

  • 1AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln, New Zealand. Duane.Harland@agresearch.co.nz.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|May 26, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Hair cortex macrofibrils, composed of keratin intermediate filaments (IFs) and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs), form complex structures. Their formation may begin as liquid crystals, offering new insights into hair structure.

Keywords:
Hair follicleIntermediate filament polymerizationKeratin intermediate filamentMacrofibrilMesophaseSupramolecular assemblyTrichokeratin

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Macrofibrils are the primary structural elements within the hair cortex.
  • They are composite materials comprising trichokeratin intermediate filaments (IFs) within a matrix of keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) and keratin head groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the detailed architecture of hair cortex macrofibrils.
  • To explore the formation process of macrofibrils.
  • To present the theory of liquid crystal-driven initial macrofibril formation.

Main Methods:

  • Review and description of existing knowledge on macrofibril architecture.
  • Analysis of theoretical models for macrofibril formation.
  • Focus on the liquid crystal hypothesis for early-stage development.

Main Results:

  • Macrofibrils exhibit diverse architectures, frequently featuring a central core with helically arranged IFs (double-twist arrangement).
  • The formation process is theorized to involve initial stages as liquid crystals.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding macrofibril architecture and formation is crucial for hair science.
  • The liquid crystal theory provides a novel framework for investigating early macrofibril assembly.
  • This perspective enhances our comprehension of hair's composite material properties.