anti-Cytokeratin-7 (human), Rabbit Monoclonal (RM416)

Cytokeratins are keratin proteins found in the intracytoplasmic cytoskeleton of epithelial tissue (at least 20 different polypeptides). They are an important component of intermediate filaments, which help cells resist mechanical stress. Expression of these cytokeratins within epithelial cells is largely specific to particular organs or tissues. The subsets of cytokeratins which an epithelial cell expresses depends mainly on the type of epithelium, the moment in the course of terminal differentiation and the stage of development. Thus a specific cytokeratin expression profile allows the identification of epithelial cells. Furthermore, this applies also to the malignant counterparts of the epithelia, (carcinomas). Cytokeratin subtype expression patterns are used to an increasing extent in the distinction of different types of epithelial malignancies. The cytokeratin antibodies are not only of assistance in the differential diagnosis of tumors using immunohistochemistry on tissue sections, but are also a useful tool in cytopathology and flow cytometric assays. Cytokeratin-7 (CK7) is a type II cytokeratin expressed by most ductal, glandular and transitional epithelia. Cytokeratin 7 exhibits a cytoplasmic localization. Because the cytokeratin-7 is found in both healthy and neoplastic cells, antibodies to CK7 can be used in immunohistochemistry to distinguish ovarian and transitional cell carcinomas from colonic and prostate cancers, respectively and is commonly used together with Cytokeratin-20.