Desmin (D33)

Anti-desmin detects a protein that is expressed by cells of normal smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscles. The light microscope has suggested that desmin is primarily located at or near the periphery of Z lines in striated muscle fibrils. In smooth muscle, desmin interconnects cytoplasmic dense bodies with membrane bound dense plaques. Anti-desmin reacts with leiomyomas, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyomas, rhabdomyosarcoma, and perivascular cells of glomus tumors of the skin. This antibody is used to demonstrate the myogenic components/derivation of tumors.1,2 Desmin can also be present in myofibroblasts and be focally positive in desmoid fibromatosis.3