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Macrofibril Formation

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The Hair Fibre: Proteins, Structure and Development

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1054))

Abstract

Macrofibrils are the main structural component of the hair cortex, and are a composite material in which trichokeratin intermediate filaments (IFs) are arranged as organised arrays embedded in a matrix composed of keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) and keratin head groups. Various architecture of macrofibrils is possible, with many having a central core around which IFs are helically arranged, an organisation most accurately described as a double-twist arrangement. In this chapter we describe the architecture of macrofibrils and then cover their formation, with most of the material focusing on the theory that the initial stages of macrofibril formation are as liquid crystals.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln, New Zealand

    Duane P. Harland

  2. Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    A. John McKinnon

Authors
  1. Duane P. Harland
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  2. A. John McKinnon
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Correspondence to Duane P. Harland .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln, New Zealand

    Jeffrey E. Plowman

  2. AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln, New Zealand

    Duane P. Harland

  3. AgResearch Ltd., Lincoln, New Zealand

    Santanu Deb-Choudhury

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Harland, D.P., McKinnon, A.J. (2018). Macrofibril Formation. In: Plowman, J., Harland, D., Deb-Choudhury, S. (eds) The Hair Fibre: Proteins, Structure and Development. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1054. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8195-8_11

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