Stratum corneum keratin structure, function and formation – a comprehensive review

A comprehensive review on stratum corneum keratin organization, largely based on the recently published cubic rod-packing and membrane templating model [J. Invest. Dermatol., 123, 2004, 715], is presented. Keratin is the major non-aqueous component (wt/wt) of stratum corneum. As 90-100% of the stratum corneum water is thought to be located intracellularly one may presume that keratin also is a major factor (together with filaggrin-derived free amino acids) determining stratum corneum hydration level and water holding capacity. This water holding capacity depends in turn on the structural organization of the corneocyte keratin intermediate filament network. The cubic rod-packing model for the structure and function of the stratum corneum cell matrix postulates that corneocyte keratin filaments are arranged according to a cubic-like rod-packing symmetry. It is in accordance with the cryo-electron density pattern of the native corneocyte keratin matrix and could account for the swelling behaviour and the mechanical properties of mammalian stratum corneum. The membrane templating model for keratin dynamics and for the formation of the stratum corneum cell matrix postulates the presence in viable epidermal cellular space of a highly dynamic small lattice parameter (<30 nm) membrane structure with cubic-like symmetry, to which keratin is associated. It further proposes that membrane templating, rather than spontaneous self-assembly, is responsible for keratin intermediate filament formation and dynamics. It is in accordance with the cryo-electron density patterns of the native keratinocyte cytoplasmic space and could account for the characteristic features of the keratin network formation process, the dynamic properties of keratin intermediate filaments, the close lipid association of keratin, the insolubility in non-denaturating buffers and pronounced polymorphism of keratin assembled in vitro, and the measured reduction in cell-volume and hydration level between stratum granulosum and stratum corneum.