Hexagonal Packing of Intermediate Filaments (Microfibrils) in α -Keratin Fibers

摘要

Electron micrographs of cross sections of highly oriented α-keratin fibers show the presence of intermediated filaments (IF) (microfibrils) packed parallel to each other in hexagonal arrays. Because of the presence of this ordered packing, some form of in- terfibrillar linkage or interaction is believed to exist between neighboring Ifs in the six hexagonal directions. The possible presence of such linkages has already been sug- gested from the mechanical behavior of wool fibers in formic-acid-water solutions up to concentrations of 75/100 v/v.