keratin
ke ruh tuhn
- n a fibrous scleroprotein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in horny tissues such as hair, feathers, nails, and hooves
- Lizards build alpha-keratin in their claws.
- Promptly (in some cases within 24 hours), their gums began to harden, and healthy new tissue began to form the outer keratin layer, forming "a coat of armor" against bacteria.
- Linus Pauling deciphers the molecular structure of the protein keratin.