Expression of cytokeratin 8 in basal cell carcinoma: a comparative immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopy study.

The comparative study reported here was undertaken in order to resolve the discrepancies in the detection of cytokeratin (Ck) 8 reported in previous studies. The expression of Ck 8 was compared in 6 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) using immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic techniques and a panel of 4 different commercially available monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs). The results of this comparative study demonstrated not only that the consistent expression of Ck 8 using one of the MoAbs in immunohistochemistry was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy, but that the inconsistent expression of Ck 8 observed using two other MoAbs was also confirmed. One of the MoAbs did not show any staining at all. The inability of this MoAb to detect the expression of Ck 8 using either of the techniques also indicated that this MoAb may be directed against an epitope of Ck8 that is not detectable in BCC in situ.