Anti-Cytokeratin 18, clone RM279

Cytokeratin 18 (CK18) is an intermediate filament protein and a member of the cytokeratin protein family. It is a type I acidic cytokeratin expressed in epithelial tissues, including those found in liver, lung, kidney, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract, and is localized in the cytoplasm and perinuclear region. CK18 is co-expressed with the type II neutral-basic cytokeratin CK8, with which it forms intermediate filaments essential to cytoplasmic structure. During apoptosis, CK18 is cleaved by caspases and released from the cell, and is commonly used as a marker of epithelial cell death. Plasma levels of CK18 positively correlate with the magnitude of hepatocyte apoptosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and are independently predictive of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Serum levels of CK18 are elevated in patients with cardiometabolic disorders, including diabetes and hypertension, in an NAFLD-independent manner. CK18 tumor expression positively correlates with poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tumors and poor prognosis. Cayman's Cytokeratin 18 Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody can be used for immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) applications.