The Discontinuous Nature of Epicuticle on the Surface of Keratin Fibers

Abstract

There has been considerable controversy over the question of whether the epicuticle forms a continuous outer sheath on keratin fibers or surrounds each cuticle cell individually. The evidence advanced by earlier workers in support of the former concept is reassessed critically and reinterpreted in other ways. At the same time, the formation of Allwörden sacs on isolated cuticle cells and other results show that the latter concept is correct, viz, that the epicuticle surrounds each cell individually and, hence, forms part of the cell membrane complex.