Cytokeratin, HMW (AE3)

Anti-cytokeratin, high molecular weight (AE3) is capable of recognizing all basic keratins; therefore, it is a broadly reactive antibody staining most epithelia and their neoplasms. Members of the acidic and basic subfamilies are found together in pairs. Since each epithelium contains at least one acidic and one basic keratin, this antibody is used to observe the distribution of keratin-containing cells in normal epithelia and to identify neoplasms derived from such epithelium.