Keratin 18 is a
type I cytokeratin. It is, together with its filament partner
keratin 8, perhaps the most commonly found products of the
intermediate filament
Intermediate filaments (IFs) are cytoskeletal structural components found in the cells of vertebrates, and many invertebrates. Homologues of the IF protein have been noted in an invertebrate, the cephalochordate '' Branchiostoma''.
Intermed ...
gene family. They are expressed in single layer
epithelial tissue
Epithelium or epithelial tissue is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. It is a thin, continuous, protective layer of compactly packed cells with a little intercellul ...
s of the body. Mutations in this gene have been linked to
cryptogenic cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue rep ...
. Two transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene.
Keratin 18 is often used together with
keratin 8 and
keratin 19 to differentiate cells of epithelial origin from hematopoietic cells in tests that enumerate
circulating tumor cell A circulating tumor cell (CTC) is a cell that has shed into the vasculature or lymphatics from a primary tumor and is carried around the body in the blood circulation. CTCs can extravasate and become ''seeds'' for the subsequent growth of additio ...
s in blood.
Interactions
Keratin 18 has been shown to
interact
Advocates for Informed Choice, doing business as, dba interACT or interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization using innovative strategies to advocate for the legal and human rights of children with intersex trai ...
with
Collagen, type XVII, alpha 1,
,
and
TRADD.
References
Further reading
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Keratins
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