Chu Peiguo G, Lau Sean K, Weiss Lawrence M
Department of Pathology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Endocr Pathol. 2009 Spring;20(1):1-10. doi: 10.1007/s12022-009-9061-7.
Keratins are intermediate filaments that provide mechanical support and fulfill a variety of additional functions in epithelial cells. Keratins show outstanding degree of molecular diversity. In humans, 54 functional keratin genes exist. Twenty common types of keratins are expressed in highly specific patterns related to epithelial type and stage of cellular differentiation. In general, keratins are classified as high-molecular-weight keratins (expressed in normal stratified epithelium and tumors derived from it) and low-molecular-weight keratins (expressed in normal simple epithelium and tumors derived from it). Histologically, endocrine organs belong to simple epithelium; thus, endocrine tissues usually express low-molecular-weight keratins. When an endocrine organ undergoes malignant transformation, its keratin profile usually remains constant. However, keratin expression in endocrine organs and endocrine tumors is much more complicated because of their diversified histogenesis. In this review article, we will first briefly review the molecular biology and protein chemistry of the keratins. We will then review the expression patterns of keratins in normal endocrine tissue and endocrine neoplasms.
角蛋白是中间丝，为上皮细胞提供机械支持并履行多种其他功能。角蛋白表现出显著程度的分子多样性。在人类中，存在54个功能性角蛋白基因。20种常见类型的角蛋白以与上皮类型和细胞分化阶段高度相关的特定模式表达。一般来说，角蛋白分为高分子量角蛋白（在正常复层上皮及其衍生的肿瘤中表达）和低分子量角蛋白（在正常单层上皮及其衍生的肿瘤中表达）。从组织学上讲，内分泌器官属于单层上皮；因此，内分泌组织通常表达低分子量角蛋白。当内分泌器官发生恶性转化时，其角蛋白谱通常保持不变。然而，由于内分泌器官和内分泌肿瘤的组织发生多样化，其角蛋白表达要复杂得多。在这篇综述文章中，我们将首先简要回顾角蛋白的分子生物学和蛋白质化学。然后我们将回顾角蛋白在正常内分泌组织和内分泌肿瘤中的表达模式。
