Cytokeratins of the equine hoof wall, chestnut and skin: bio- and immunohisto-chemistry.

This study examines the specific types of cytokeratins, a protein found in keratinocytes, present in various parts of the equine skin and its appendages such as the hoof wall and chestnut. The research utilized several antibodies and gel electrophoresis to identify these cytokeratins, and found differences in cytokeratin content across different types of tissues, between skin and more proliferative tissues, in tissues with and without a particular layer called the stratum granulosum, and between different parts of the hoof wall.

Research Methodology

• In this research, the team used 7 monoclonal antibodies, one polyclonal antibody, and immunoblot analysis to study the cytokeratins in the equine hoof wall and chestnut.
• The cytokeratins were separated using one and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, a technique that allows for the separation and analysis of proteins based on their properties.
• Immunohistochemical staining of sections from the skin, chestnut, periople, matrix of the stratum medium of the hoof wall, and the stratum internum of the hoof wall was done to observe the tissue distribution of these cytokeratins.

Findings

• The study identified differences in the content of cytokeratins across various sections and tissues. This includes differences between:
• Various cell layers within the same tissue.
• Skin tissues and more proliferative epidermal tissues, specifically the chestnut and periople.
• Tissues that have a stratum granulosum layer – the skin, chestnut, and periople – and those without, such as the stratum medium and internum of the hoof wall.
• The stratum medium and the stratum internum of the hoof wall.
• The stratum internum at the most proximal (closest to the center of the body) level and at the mid level of the hoof wall.

Conclusion

• This research provided a close look at how the content of cytokeratins, proteins that are key to the structure of cells in the equine skin and its appendages, can differ across different tissue types and layers. These findings could potentially help in understanding the structural differences and functionalities of various equine tissues.