Alpha-keratin Alpha-keratin Alpha-keratin, or α-keratin, is a type of keratin found in mammals. This protein is the primary component in hairs, horns, nails and the epidermis layer of the skin. α-keratin is a fibrous structural protein, meaning it is made up of amino acids that form a repeating secondary structure. The secondary structure of α-keratin is very similar to that of a traditional protein α-helix and forms a coiled coil. Due to its tightly wound structure, it can function as one of the strongest biological materials and has various uses in mammals, from predatory claws to hair for warmth. α-keratin is
Hair cell They have also improved frequency selectivity (frequency discrimination), which is of particular benefit for humans, because it enabled sophisticated speech and music. Outer hair cells are functional even after cellular stores of ATP are depleted. The effect of this system is to non-linearly amplify quiet sounds more than large ones so that a wide range of sound pressures can be reduced to a much smaller range of hair displacements. This property of amplification is called the cochlear amplifier. The molecular biology of hair cells has seen considerable progress in recent years, with the identification of the motor protein (prestin) that