Sarah Glass
Kalamazoo College
Fred Guengerich lab
P450 27C1 was categorized as an 'orphan' enzyme that had no known function until it was found to catalyze the 3,4-desaturation of all-trans-retinol in the eyes of fish to allow them to see near-infrared light. In humans, P450 27C1 is localized to the skin but the biological function of it, and the desaturated retinoids it produces, remains unknown. The goal of my project is to determine the biological function through the utilization of primary human keratinocyte cell culture.