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Epicuticle, isolated from wool via the Allwörden reaction, was examined by electron microscopy and analysed chemically. It is proteinaceous; lipids and carbohydrates could not be detected. The component amino acids are: cystine, glycine, glutamic acid, serine, valine, alanine, lysine, α-amino-adipic acid, and threonine. A tentative model for the epicuticle is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An account is given of a study made by means of thin-layer chromatography of six lipids of the types that may be present in wool lubricants. Residual grease (fatty-matter extract from scoured wool) was also examined. It was found that,by developing a series of chromatograms with solvents differing in polarity, the lipids could be identified. Residual grease did not interfere with the resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]