KRT18
Description
The KRT18 (keratin 18) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 12.
Keratin 18 is a type I cytokeratin. It is, together with its filament partner keratin 8, perhaps the most commonly found products of the intermediate filament gene family. They are expressed in single layer epithelial tissues of the body. Mutations in this gene have been linked to cryptogenic cirrhosis. Two transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene. Keratin 18 is often used together with keratin 8 and keratin 19 to differentiate cells of epithelial origin from hematopoietic cells in tests that enumerate circulating tumor cells in blood.
Keratin 18 plays a role in the uptake of thrombin-antithrombin complexes by liver cells. When phosphorylated, it helps in reorganizing protein filaments. It also participates in delivering mutated CFTR to the cell membrane and, alongside keratin 8, contributes to protecting the barrier function of cells in response to interleukin-6.
KRT18 is also known as CK-18, CYK18, K18.
