Keratin Biomembranes as a Model for Studying Onychomycosis

Difficulties in obtaining human nails that are large enough for examining the penetration of drug formulations led us to produce keratin films regenerated from human hair. We assume that these films can simulate human nail plates in drug penetration and permeation tests and can serve as a biological...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of molecular sciences 2020-05, Vol.21 (10), p.3512
Main Authors: Valkov, Anton, Zinigrad, Michael, Sobolev, Alexander, Nisnevitch, Marina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antifungal agents
Arthrodermataceae - physiology
Biological models (mathematics)
Cattle
Computer simulation
Dithiothreitol
Drugs
Electrophoresis
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Experiments
Fourier analysis
Fourier transforms
Hair
Hoof
Hoof and Claw
Humans
Infrared analysis
Infrared spectroscopy
Keratin
keratin films
Keratins - metabolism
Keratins - ultrastructure
Membranes
Models, Biological
Nails (Anatomy)
Onychomycosis
Onychomycosis - microbiology
Onychomycosis - pathology
onychomycosis model
Performance evaluation
Proteins
Scanning electron microscopy
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectrum analysis
Structural analysis
Thermal stability
Thermogravimetric analysis
Thermogravimetry
Thiourea
Trichophyton rubrum
Urea
X-Ray Diffraction
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Difficulties in obtaining human nails that are large enough for examining the penetration of drug formulations led us to produce keratin films regenerated from human hair. We assume that these films can simulate human nail plates in drug penetration and permeation tests and can serve as a biological model for studying onychomycosis. The films were formed from keratin extracted from human hair using dithiothreitol, urea and thiourea. The obtained keratin extract was dispensed into Teflon rings and dried at 40 °C and then cured at 110 °C. The structure, surface morphology, chemical characterization and thermal stability of the films were characterized and were compared to those of human nail, hair and bovine hoof samples using SDS-electrophoresis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The structure of the obtained films was found to be closer to human nails than to hair or bovine hooves. The keratin films were infected with and were proven to be appropriate for serving as a model for studying onychomycosis.
ISSN:1422-0067
1661-6596
1422-0067
DOI:10.3390/ijms21103512