Loricrin is a major protein component of the cornified cell envelope found in terminally differentiated epidermal cells. Mutations in this gene are associated with Vohwinkel's syndrome and progressive symmetric erythrokeratoderma, both inherited skin diseases.

There were multiple sequence variants within these 2 size class alleles due to various deletions of 12 bp (4 amino acids) in the major loop of this glycine loop domain. By use of a specific loricrin antibody in immunogold electron microscopy, they showed that loricrin appears initially in the granular layer of human epidermis and forms composite keratohyalin granules with profilaggrin, but localizes to the cell periphery (cell envelope) of fully differentiated stratum corneum cells.