Keratin function in skin epithelia: a broadening palette with surprising shades.

Abstract excerpt

Keratins make up the largest subgroup of intermediate filament (IF) proteins and form a dynamic network of 10-12 nm filaments, built from type I/type II heterodimers, in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. A major function of keratin IFs is to protect epithelial cells from mechanical and non-mechanical stresses that cause cell rupture and death. Interference with this role is the root cause of a large number of...

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