Cytokeratin 18 Antibody

Intermediate filaments (IFs) are a structurally related family of cellular proteins that appear to be intimately involved with the cytoskeleton. Human keratin 18 (KRT18) and the homologous mouse Endo B are type I IF protein subunits whose expression is restricted in adults to a variety of simple epithelial tissues. The KRT18 gene is 3,791 bp long and the Cytokeratin 18/Keratin 18 protein is coded for by 7 exons. By Southern blotting using the genomic DNA PCR product, the gene for Cytokeratin 18 has been assigned to chromosome 12. Mutation of human Keratin 18 has been associated with cryptogenic cirrhosis.