Type II keratin


Type II keratins constitutes the Type II intermediate filaments of the intracytoplasmatic cytoskeleton, which is present in all mammalian epithelial cells. The type 2 cytokeratins consist of basic or neutral, high molecular weight proteins which in vivo are arranged in pairs of heterotypic Type I and Type II keratin chains, coexpressed during differentiation of simple and stratified epithelial tissues.
Type II cytokeratins are encoded on chromosome 12q and encompasses: CK1, CK2, CK3, CK4, CK5, CK6, CK7 and CK8. Their molecular weight ranges from 52 kDa to 67 kDa.