Keratins are cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins expressed by epithelial cells. CK5 is a type II cytokeratin. Loss-of-function mutations in the keratin 5 gene (KRT5) affected family members and in six unrelated patients with Dowling-Degos disease (DDD), an autosomal dominant genodermatosis. This suggests a crucial role for keratins in the organization of cell adhesion, melanosome uptake, organelle transport, and nuclear anchorage. CK5 labels myoepithelial cells of breast and prostate basal cells. CK5 and calretinin have been useful in different studies as immunohistochemical markers suggestive of mesothelioma, and their expression is analyzed for the histological differentiation with adenocarcinomas, especially when confronting metastatic tumors of unknown origin. The human type II Cytokeratin 6 (CK6; 56 kDa) is well known for its strong induction in stratified epithelia that feature an enhanced cell proliferation rate or abnormal differentiation during wound healing, in several diseases (e.g. psoriasis, actinic keratosis) and cancer. CK6 is expressed on stratified epithelia including oral mucosa, esophagus, basal layer of epidermis, the outer root sheath of hair follicles, and in glandular epithelia. CK6 is a marker of hyperproliferative and activated keratinocytes found in psoriasis. Anti-CK6 paired with the CK5 antibody is useful for differentiating mesothelioma (positive) from lung carcinoma (negative) or metastatic carcinoma (negative) in the pleura. An antibody against CK5/6 has also been used to distinguish usual ductal hyperplasia of the breast (strong staining) from solid papillary DCIS (negative).
Keratins are cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins expressed by epithelial cells. CK5 is a type II cytokeratin. Loss-of-function mutations in the keratin 5 gene (KRT5) affected family members and in six unrelated patients with Dowling-Degos disease (DDD), an autosomal dominant genodermatosis. This suggests a crucial role for keratins in the organization of cell adhesion, melanosome uptake, organelle transport, and nuclear anchorage. CK5 labels myoepithelial cells of breast and prostate basal cells. CK5 and calretinin have been useful in different studies as immunohistochemical markers suggestive of mesothelioma, and their expression is analyzed for the histological differentiation with adenocarcinomas, especially when confronting metastatic tumors of unknown origin. The human type II Cytokeratin 6 (CK6; 56 kDa) is well known for its strong induction in stratified epithelia that feature an enhanced cell proliferation rate or abnormal differentiation during wound healing, in several diseases (e.g. psoriasis, actinic keratosis) and cancer. CK6 is expressed on stratified epithelia including oral mucosa, esophagus, basal layer of epidermis, the outer root sheath of hair follicles, and in glandular epithelia. CK6 is a marker of hyperproliferative and activated keratinocytes found in psoriasis. Anti-CK6 paired with the CK5 antibody is useful for differentiating mesothelioma (positive) from lung carcinoma (negative) or metastatic carcinoma (negative) in the pleura. An antibody against CK5/6 has also been used to distinguish usual ductal hyperplasia of the breast (strong staining) from solid papillary DCIS (negative).
Keratins are cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins expressed by epithelial cells. CK5 is a type II cytokeratin. Loss-of-function mutations in the keratin 5 gene (KRT5) affected family members and in six unrelated patients with Dowling-Degos disease (DDD), an autosomal dominant genodermatosis. This suggests a crucial role for keratins in the organization of cell adhesion, melanosome uptake, organelle transport, and nuclear anchorage. CK5 labels myoepithelial cells of breast and prostate basal cells. CK5 and calretinin have been useful in different studies as immunohistochemical markers suggestive of mesothelioma, and their expression is analyzed for the histological differentiation with adenocarcinomas, especially when confronting metastatic tumors of unknown origin. The human type II Cytokeratin 6 (CK6; 56 kDa) is well known for its strong induction in stratified epithelia that feature an enhanced cell proliferation rate or abnormal differentiation during wound healing, in several diseases (e.g. psoriasis, actinic keratosis) and cancer. CK6 is expressed on stratified epithelia including oral mucosa, esophagus, basal layer of epidermis, the outer root sheath of hair follicles, and in glandular epithelia. CK6 is a marker of hyperproliferative and activated keratinocytes found in psoriasis. Anti-CK6 paired with the CK5 antibody is useful for differentiating mesothelioma (positive) from lung carcinoma (negative) or metastatic carcinoma (negative) in the pleura. An antibody against CK5/6 has also been used to distinguish usual ductal hyperplasia of the breast (strong staining) from solid papillary DCIS (negative).
