Cytokeratin: A review on current concepts

Cytokeratins are proteins which form the intermediate filaments and form the major cytoskeleton of the epithelial cells. It has an enormous role in providing mechanical support to the cell. There are various kinds of cytokeratins each showing varied expression in the epithelium. The cytokeratins can be broadly classified into type I or acidic and type II or basic proteins. The expression of these plays a role in differentiating different types of epithelial cells, thus enabling us to classify tumors. They help in diagnosing different types of tumors and thus have a vital role in diagnostic pathology.