... mechanical properties biomechanics biological materials Keratin is a class of resistant and insoluble fibrous protein with the two distinct groups, namely, α- and β-keratin ( Mercer, 1961 ). The former mainly occurs in the mammalian skins, wools, hoofs and horns, whereas the latter is the chief...

... (e-mail: Broomell@lifesci.ucsb.edu ) 7 6 2006 © The Company of Biologists Limited 2006 2006 biological materials nonoindentation histidine zinc Like their man-made counterparts, hardened biological materials are tailored to perform given functions. Whether used...