keratincontaining

Keratincontaining refers to substances or materials that include keratin, a family of fibrous structural proteins found in vertebrates. In mammals, keratin forms hair, nails, and the outer layer of skin; in birds and reptiles it forms feathers, beaks, claws, and scales. There are two major keratin types: alpha-keratins, which compose hair, nails, and epidermis, and beta-keratins, found in feathers, beaks, and reptilian scales. Keratins are rich in cysteine, enabling extensive disulfide cross-links that confer high mechanical strength and resistance to proteolysis.

Keratin-containing materials can be natural, such as keratinized tissues, or derived from keratin-rich wastes like hair, wool, or feathers. Through processing methods such as reduction, sulfitolysis, or chemical dissolution, keratin can be transformed into gels, films, fibers, or scaffolds for biomedical and industrial applications. Keratin-based biomaterials have been explored for wound dressings, tissue scaffolds, and drug delivery, and they are often used in composites with other polymers or minerals to tailor properties.

Advantages of keratin-containing materials include biocompatibility and biodegradability, as well as the possibility of valorizing waste streams. Limitations can include variability in keratin composition, sensitivity to processing conditions, and potential for immunogenic or allergenic responses in some individuals. The term keratincontaining is used across biology, materials science, and cosmetic contexts to denote tissues or products that retain keratin’s structural features and properties.