Organic molecules -- compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and sometimes oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur -- form the foundation of life. Each of your cells contains billions of organic molecules that provide structural support for your tissues and carry out tissue functioning. Both keratin and carotene, two types of organic molecules, have an effect on your health, but they differ in a number of ways.
Molecular Structure
Though both keratin and carotene are organic molecules and therefore contain carbon and hydrogen, they differ significantly in their molecular structure. Carotenes are relatively small molecules that contain ring and chain molecular structures. The ring structures allow carotenes to reflect light, giving the compounds a hue ranging from yellow to red. Keratin, in contrast, is a large organic molecule, made up of smaller subunits called amino acids. In your body, keratin molecules bind together to form strong, colorless protein fibers.
Uses for Carotene
Your body can use carotene molecules, or carotenoids, as a source of vitamin A. During digestion, enzymes within your small intestine modify carotenes to form two vitamin A molecules. From here, your body can utilize the vitamin A as a signaling molecule to promote tissue growth and maintenance or can store excess vitamin A in your liver. A significant portion of your vitamin A intake likely comes from beta-carotene, a form of carotenoid. Other types of carotene molecules might decrease your risk of disease, including cataracts, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
Uses for Keratin
Keratin protein makes up a significant portion of a number of tissues, including your skin, nails and hair. Cells called keratinocytes, found within your skin tissue and hair follicles, produce keratin protein. In your follicles, part of this keratin makes up each hair shaft. In skin tissue, skin cells contain an increasing concentration as they age and reach the skin surface, and the outer layers of skin contain dead keratinocytes composed primarily of keratin. In addition, cells within the nail matrix -- the tissue underneath the cuticles -- continually produce keratin-rich cells that make up the nails.
Food Sources
Your body cannot produce carotenes, so you rely on getting them from the foods that make up your diet. A number of plant-based foods provide carotenes. The Linus Pauling Institute lists carrots, pumpkin, papaya, tomatoes, watermelon and leafy greens like kale as particularly rich sources of carotenes.
Although your body can produce keratin protein on its own, your cells rely on dietary protein intake as a source of amino acids. Your digestive tract metabolizes and breaks down food proteins into individual amino acids and transports these compounds to your tissue; your cells then re-assemble the amino acids into keratin. Meats, eggs, beans, soy products and nuts are all rich sources of protein.
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