Acknowledgements xi 1. Recent Trends in the Wool Industry and Some Long-Term Policy Issues 1 R. Richardson STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE HAIR FOLLICLE 2. Morphogenesis of the Hair Follicle during the Ontogeny of Human Skin 15 KA. Holbrook, C. Fisher, BA. Dale and R. Hartley 3. Specific Keratins and their Associated Proteins as Markers for Hair Follicle Differentiation 37 W.M O'Guin, D. Dhouailly, M. Manabe and T.-T. Sun 4. The Dermal Papilla and Maintenance of Hair Growth 51 R.F. Oliver and CA. B. lahoda 5. Special Biochemical Features of the Hair Follicle 69 G.E. Rogers, E.S. Kuczek, P.J. MacKinnon, R.B. Presland and M.J. Fietz KERATIN PROlEINS 6. Intermediate Filaments: Problems and Perspectives 87 R.D. Goldman and G.N. Dessev 7. Intermediate Filament Associated Protein of Epidermis 97 BA. Dale, KA. Resing, P.V. Haydock, P. Fieckman, C. Fisher and KA. Holbrook 8. Variations in the Proteins of Wool and Hair 117 R.C. Marshall and I.M. Gillespie 9. Protein Chains in Wool and Epidermal Keratin IF: Structural Features and Spatial Arrangement 127 J.F. Conway, R.D.B. Fraser, T.P. MacRae and DA. D. Pany 145 10. Amino Acid Sequences of Wool Keratin IF Proteins L.G. Sparrow, L.M. Dowling, V.Y. Loke and P.M. Strike 11. Structural Features of Keratin Intermediate Filaments 157 P.M. Steinert, D.R. Torchia and J.W.

The Biology of Hair Growth is based on a conference on The Biology of Hair Growth, sponsored by the British Society for Research on Ageing, held at the Royal College of Surgeons, in London, 7-9 August 1957. The papers presented at this conference, and a few others, have been gathered in this book to serve as a source reference for all those interested in research on hair and hair growth. The application of modern methods in histology, cytology, histochemistry, physiology, electron microscopy, the use of radioactive isotopes, and modern biochemical techniques have given greater insight into the phenomena of growth and differentiation of hair follicles than ever before. The book opens with a chapter on the embryology of hair. Separate chapters follow on the anatomy and histochemistry of the hair follicle; the electron microscopy of keratinized tissues; the chemistry of keratinization; the mitotic activity of the follicle; and the the vascularity and patterns of growth of hair follicles. Subsequent chapters deal with behavior of pigment cells and epithelial cells in the hair follicle; the nature of hair pigment; the effects of nutrition on hair growth; and effects of chemical agents, ionizing radiation, and particular illnesses on hair roots.

Hair is a sophisticated bio-based material, whether it is on a human head or part of a mammalian coat. In particular, the role of the proteins in the follicle, integral to hair development, are not well understood. This new book seeks to integrate the latest research in proteomic and morphological studies into a coherent description of fibre development from the follicle to its final mature, keratinized form. To achieve this the book has been divided into three sections. The first describes the keratins, their associated proteins and how they assemble into intermediate filaments in the fibre. The second covers the latest information on the morphological changes that occur from the base of the follicle, through the keratinization process to the mature fibre and the role that proteins play in this. The final section delves into fundamental fibre properties such as crosslinking, thermal and oxidative modifications and how these affect the mature fibre. The editors of this book are internationally recognised for their work in the area of mammalian hair, Jeffrey Plowman for his knowledge of the proteomics of the fibre, Santanu Deb-Choudhury for his work in the area of crosslinking in the fibre and Duane Harland for his understanding of the morphological development of the fibre. Together they have collected material from other international experts: Leopold Eckhart and Florian Ehrlich for their knowledge of the evolution of keratins; Dong Dong Wu and David Irwin for their studies on keratin associated protein evolution; David Parry and Bruce Fraser for their work on keratin and keratin associated protein structure and assembly; John McKinnon for his studies on macrofibril formation; Crisan Popescu for the thermodynamics of keratins; and Jolon Dyer for his oxidative modification studies of keratins. This book provides a comprehensive introduction, and useful reference guide to hair biology and will be of interest to both scientists and technologists.

"Why are humans and other mammals covered in hair, and why are there so many different types of it? Vivid photographs paired with a duo of quirky, illustrated hair guides serve to illuminate the fascinating facts about mammal hair: why it exists, what it's good for, and more. Readers will learn about different types of animal coats, such as fur and down, and explore the many different forms guard hairs take, such as the quills on a porcupine."--Amazon.