Expression of keratins in cutaneous epithelial tumors and related disorders - distribution and clinical significance

Keratins are a highly diverse family of cytoskeletal proteins and important markers of epithelial cell differentiation. In this review, applying the new keratin nomenclature recently introduced, we summarize and discuss the distribution and significance of keratin patterns in cutaneous epithelial tumors in relation to the epithelial structures of normal human skin. The available literature data show that the analysis of keratin profiles broadens our understanding of the differentiation, nature and histogenetic origin of the various, highly singular epithelial tumors arising in the skin. Moreover, keratins may aid in histological diagnosis and, in certain instances, may be helpful for the recognition of tumor malignancy and aggressiveness. Furthermore, we briefly address the topic of keratin-related skin disorders.