Comparison of stratum corneum and hair fibrous proteins.

The Tris-urea-mercaptoethanol (pH 9) soluble fibrous proteins of hair and stratum corneum have been compared in a number of animals. The 2 tissues show different urea (pH 8.3) and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic patterns and vary in amino acid composition. Cyanogen bromide cleavage was done on human stratum corneum and hair fibrous proteins and found to give different fragments by electrophoresis. Antibodies to stratum corneum protein did not react with hair protein and vice versa. Although the 2 types of fibrous proteins have the same helical structure as shown by x-ray diffraction analysis, their differences in composition may be important for specific interactions with other macromolecules.