Biochem/physiol Actions

K8 (keratin 8) is primarily found in the non-squamous epithelia and is present in majority of adenocarcinomas and ductal carcinomas. Hepatocellular carcinomas are defined by the use of antibodies that recognize only cytokeratin polypeptides 8 and 18. Mutations in KRT8 are associated with liver injury as well as liver diseases. It is also an autoantigen of rheumatoid arthritis.

General description

The gene K8 (keratin 8) is mapped to human chromosome 12q13.13. It belongs to the type B (basic) subfamily of high molecular weight keratins and exists in combination with keratin 18. The protein has an amino-terminal head, a conserved α-helical central rod domain and a carboxyl-terminal tail domain. The recombinant human keratin-8 is expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.

Physical form

5 µg, sterile-filtered and then lyophilized from 30 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 9.5 M Urea, 2 mM DTT, 2 mM EDTA, and 10 mM methylammonium chloride

Reconstitution

Reconstitute in water to a concentration of 100ug/mL. This solution can then be diluted into other aqueous buffers.