https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin What you need to know en-us 2018-03-28 08:14:38 UTC 2023-07-26 13:02:27 UTC hello@padlet.com lhug3 https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/246810743 As we can see below, this female boasts silky soft hair. This leads to a rather simple question, what is hair made from?]]> 2018-03-28 08:57:16 UTC https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/246810743 lhug3 https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/246811703 Those who are observant would have probably come up with the answer that hair is made from Keratin.  

But what is Keratin? 
If we take a look at the outside of an organism, the epidermis, one can find an amino acid by the name of Keratin. The main job this amino acid is to form a protective layer on the outside of the skin by adhering cells together. 

Keratins purpose is to make hair (see left), nails, horns, wool  and feathers. Yes, keratin does not just make hair. 

There are two types of Keratin, Alpha & Beta keratin. Alpha keratin is found in mammals whilst beta keratin is found in reptiles and snakes. ]]> 2018-03-28 09:00:46 UTC https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/246811703 lhug3 https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/247118768 The keratin protein is a fibrous structure. This means that is is made up of intertwined fibres, therefore giving its tough structure. 18 amino acids make up keratin, the most prominent one being cysteine, 14% of keratin, this gives the hair its flexibility. If cysteine wasn't present the hair would be a lot stiffer. ]]> 2018-03-29 01:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/lhug3/Liam_Hughes_Keratin/wish/247118768