Molecular Mobility in Keratin-Rich Materials Monitored by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance : A Tool for the Evaluation of Structure-Giving Properties
Keratins are structural proteins that are abundant in human skin, nails, and hair, where they provide mechanical strength. In the present study, we investigate the molecular mobilities and structures of three keratin-rich materials with clearly different mechanical properties: nails, stratum corneum (upper layer of epidermis), and keratinocytes (from lower layer of epidermis). We use solid-state N