[Patterns of keratin protein expression in basal cell, metatypical and squamous cell carcinoma of human skin].

Comparative immunomorphological study of keratinous proteins was performed in 17 basaliomas, 4 metatypical (MT) and 1 squamous cell carcinomas by means of a spectrum of antibodies to the individual keratins. It is found that cells of MT carcinoma are distinguished from basalioma cells by the absence of keratins N8 and 17 and this may be used for the differential diagnosis of these two tumours. The spectrum of keratins expressed by basalioma cells coincides with that of early stages of hair follicles. Keratin N17 is locally induced in parabasal layers of the morphologically intact epidermis adjacent to the tumour.