Trichobilharzia regenti which are capable of keratin and collagen degradation. Experiments with laboratory prepared recombinant form of the cysteine peptidase cathepsin B2 of "T. regenti" (TrCB2) confirmed its ability to cleave skin proteins (collagen, keratin and elastin). After penetration the skin, cercariae transform to schistosomula and start a migration through the host’s body. They avoid penetration into blood capillaries and rather prefer entering peripheral nerves in host’s limbs. Schistosomula are found in peripheral nerves of ducks and mice as soon as 1.5 and 1 day post infection (DPI), respectively. In both types of hosts, schistosomula exhibit a high affinity to the central
Keratin 6A encoded by separate genes located within the type II keratin gene cluster on human chromosome 12q. It is found with keratin 16 and/or keratin 17 in the palm and sole epidermis, the epithelial cells of the nail bed, the filiform papillae of the tongue, the epithelial lining of oral mucosa and esophagus, as well as the hair follicles. This keratin 6 isoform is thought to be the most abundant of the K6 isoforms. The "KRT6A" gene consists of 9 exons separated by 8 introns and is located in the type II keratin gene cluster on human "chromosome" 12q. Keratin 6B