377
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
H. Ehrlich, Biological Materials of Marine Origin, Biologically- Inspired Systems 4,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5730-1_11
Chapter 11
Marine Keratins
Abstract Keratins represent the largest subgroup among all intermediate fi lament
proteins. These structural proteins are mechanically robust and chemically unreactive. This is due to tight packing of protein chains in the form of alpha-helices or
β-sheets into supercoiled polypeptide chains crosslinked with disulphide bonds.
This chapter is dedicated to keratins of marine fi sh, birds, reptilian and mammalian
origin. Keratin-like biological materials from hagfi sh slime are also discussed.
As reported by Rouse and Van Dyke ( 2010 ), “the word ‘keratin’ fi rst appears in
the literature at around 1850 to describe the material that made up hard tissues
such as animal horns and hooves (keratin comes from the Greek ‘ kera ’ meaning
horn). […] The term ‘ keratin ’ originally referred to the broad category of insoluble proteins that associate as intermediate fi laments (IFs) [see below] and form
the bulk of cytoplasmic epithelia and epidermal appendageal structures (i.e., hair,
wool, horns, hooves and nails),” (Rouse and Van Dyke 2010 ). Principally, “keratins are expressed in all types of epithelial cells (simple, stratifi ed, keratinized and
cornifi ed),” (Karantza 2011 ).
Historically, most attention was paid to mammalian keratins, including human.
Here, I would like to take the liberty to summarize the history of mammalian keratins investigations, which was excellently reviewed by Mark Van Dyke ( 2012 ).
Thus, “the earliest documented use of keratin in medicine comes from a Chinese
herbalist named Li Shi-Zhen (Ben Cao Gang Mu. Materia Medica, a dictionary of
Chinese herbs, written by Li Shi Zhen (1518–1593)). Over a 38-year period, he
wrote a collection of 800 books known as the Ben Cao Gang Mu. These books were
published in 1596, 3 years after his death. Among the more than 11,000 prescriptions described in these volumes, is a substance known as Xue Yu Tan, also known
as Crinis Carbonisatus, that is made up of ground ash from pyrolized human hair.
The stated indications for Xue Yu Tan were accelerated wound healing and blood
clotting,” (Rouse and Van Dyke 2010 ).
In the middle of nineteenth century, keratin intrigued scientists because of several specifi c properties. Most methods used for dissolving of other proteins at that
time were ineffective in attempts to dissolve keratin. Studies on extraction procedures with respect to isolate keratins has been carried out from 1905 to 1935 using
oxidative and reductive type of chemical reactions. Methods for breaking down
the structures of hooves, horns, and hair had been developed by the late 1920s.
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015
H. Ehrlich, Biological Materials of Marine Origin, Biologically- Inspired Systems 4,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5730-1_11
Chapter 11
Marine Keratins
Abstract Keratins represent the largest subgroup among all intermediate fi lament
proteins. These structural proteins are mechanically robust and chemically unreactive. This is due to tight packing of protein chains in the form of alpha-helices or
β-sheets into supercoiled polypeptide chains crosslinked with disulphide bonds.
This chapter is dedicated to keratins of marine fi sh, birds, reptilian and mammalian
origin. Keratin-like biological materials from hagfi sh slime are also discussed.
As reported by Rouse and Van Dyke ( 2010 ), “the word ‘keratin’ fi rst appears in
the literature at around 1850 to describe the material that made up hard tissues
such as animal horns and hooves (keratin comes from the Greek ‘ kera ’ meaning
horn). […] The term ‘ keratin ’ originally referred to the broad category of insoluble proteins that associate as intermediate fi laments (IFs) [see below] and form
the bulk of cytoplasmic epithelia and epidermal appendageal structures (i.e., hair,
wool, horns, hooves and nails),” (Rouse and Van Dyke 2010 ). Principally, “keratins are expressed in all types of epithelial cells (simple, stratifi ed, keratinized and
cornifi ed),” (Karantza 2011 ).
Historically, most attention was paid to mammalian keratins, including human.
Here, I would like to take the liberty to summarize the history of mammalian keratins investigations, which was excellently reviewed by Mark Van Dyke ( 2012 ).
Thus, “the earliest documented use of keratin in medicine comes from a Chinese
herbalist named Li Shi-Zhen (Ben Cao Gang Mu. Materia Medica, a dictionary of
Chinese herbs, written by Li Shi Zhen (1518–1593)). Over a 38-year period, he
wrote a collection of 800 books known as the Ben Cao Gang Mu. These books were
published in 1596, 3 years after his death. Among the more than 11,000 prescriptions described in these volumes, is a substance known as Xue Yu Tan, also known
as Crinis Carbonisatus, that is made up of ground ash from pyrolized human hair.
The stated indications for Xue Yu Tan were accelerated wound healing and blood
clotting,” (Rouse and Van Dyke 2010 ).
In the middle of nineteenth century, keratin intrigued scientists because of several specifi c properties. Most methods used for dissolving of other proteins at that
time were ineffective in attempts to dissolve keratin. Studies on extraction procedures with respect to isolate keratins has been carried out from 1905 to 1935 using
oxidative and reductive type of chemical reactions. Methods for breaking down
the structures of hooves, horns, and hair had been developed by the late 1920s.