A pediatrician examines an infant with extremely fragile skin that blisters and flakes off easily with minor rubbing. The pediatrician orders genetic tests, which confirm that the infant has a mutation in a cytoskeletal protein important in maintaining connections between skin cells. Which protein is involved?

Answer: keratin

Explanation:

Keratin is a protein that belongs to the family of fibrous structure proteins. It is the key component of claws, horns, hooves, nails and skin cells in animals. It is the main protein which protects the epithelial cells from stress or damage.

Extremely fragile skin, it blisters and forms flakes is indicative of mutation of proteins.