A. Ikegami et J. Kato, IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF CYTOKERATIN EXPRESSION IN SUBCOLUMNAR RESERVE CELLS OF HUMAN UTERINE CERVIX, Acta histochemica et cytochemica, 27(3), 1994, pp. 251-257
We have studied the cytokeratin expression in subcolumnar reserve cell
s of the human uterine cervix using the immunohistochemical method. Fi
ve commercially available cytokeratin antibodies (AE-3, M630, M717, LL
002, and CAM5.2) were used to stain a normal uterine cervix. Endocervi
cal columnar cells stained strongly with CAM5.2, which reacts with low
molecular-weight keratins (simple epithelium-type). The stratified sq
uamous epithelium stained strongly in all layers with M630, which reac
ts with high molecular-weight keratins (squamous-type). Subcolumnar re
serve cells stained not only simple epithelium-type cytokeratin (CAM5.
2) but also squamous-type cytokeratins (M630, LL002). This data presen
ted so far indicates that subcolumnar reserve cells exhibit squamous c
haracteristics. In addition, they also exhibit the cytokeratins typica
lly found in non-stratified (simple) epithelia including endocervical
columnar cells. This supports the notion that subcolumnar reserve cell
s have the potential to give rise not only to squamous epithelial cell
s but also to columnar cells.