Question

What happens in keratinization?

Answer 1

Keratins:

1. Keratins are the most abundant structural proteins in the vertebrate epidermis, accounting for up to 85 per cent of fully developed keratinocytes.
2. Keratin filaments form tonofilaments that cross the cytoplasm and bind to desmosomes and other cell membrane structures, reflecting their principal role, which is to maintain the mechanical stability of individual cells and epithelial tissues.

Keratinization:

1. Keratinization refers to the cytoplasmic events that occur in the cytoplasm of terminally differentiated epidermal keratinocytes.
2. It entails the synthesis of keratin polypeptides and the polymerization of these polypeptides into keratin intermediate filaments (tonofilaments).
3. This occurs to a lesser extent in the skin's outer layers but is notably noticeable when the skin is subjected to continual localized pressure.
4. Keratinization can be seen in corns and callosities.

Process of keratinization:

1. During keratinization, the newly formed cells experience development when these cells are pushed from the base layers to the surface.
2. As the cells relocate, the cells build up keratin.
3. Other organelles, nucleus, cytoplasm, etc. vanish and the cell dies.
4. Keratinized cells slough off and get substituted by the cells underneath which later get keratinized.
5. The process of keratinization takes 2-4 weeks.