TY - JOUR
T1 - Toward unraveling the complexity of simple epithelial keratins in human disease
AU - Omary, M. Bishr
AU - Ku, Nam On
AU - Strnad, Pavel
AU - Hanada, Shinichiro
PY - 2009/7/1
Y1 - 2009/7/1
N2 - Simple epithelial keratins (SEKs) are found primarily in single-layered simple epithelia and include keratin 7 (K7), K8, K18-K20, and K23. Genetically engineered mice that lack SEKs or overexpress mutant SEKs have helped illuminate several keratin functions and served as important disease models. Insight into the contribution of SEKs to human disease has indicated that K8 and K18 are the major constituents of Mallory-Denk bodies, hepatic inclusions associated with several liver diseases, and are essential for inclusion formation. Furthermore, mutations in the genes encoding K8, K18, and K19 predispose individuals to a variety of liver diseases. Hence, as we discuss here, the SEK cytoskeleton is involved in the orchestration of several important cellular functions and contributes to the pathogenesis of human liver disease.
AB - Simple epithelial keratins (SEKs) are found primarily in single-layered simple epithelia and include keratin 7 (K7), K8, K18-K20, and K23. Genetically engineered mice that lack SEKs or overexpress mutant SEKs have helped illuminate several keratin functions and served as important disease models. Insight into the contribution of SEKs to human disease has indicated that K8 and K18 are the major constituents of Mallory-Denk bodies, hepatic inclusions associated with several liver diseases, and are essential for inclusion formation. Furthermore, mutations in the genes encoding K8, K18, and K19 predispose individuals to a variety of liver diseases. Hence, as we discuss here, the SEK cytoskeleton is involved in the orchestration of several important cellular functions and contributes to the pathogenesis of human liver disease.
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U2 - 10.1172/JCI37762
DO - 10.1172/JCI37762
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19587454
AN - SCOPUS:68849111162
VL - 119
SP - 1794
EP - 1805
JO - Journal of Clinical Investigation
JF - Journal of Clinical Investigation
SN - 0021-9738
IS - 7
ER -