Int. J. Dev. Biol. 33: 55 - 61 (1989)

Vol 33, Issue 1

Special Issue: Developmental Biology in Finland

Expression of intermediate filaments (IF) in tissues and cultured cells

Published: 1 March 1989

I Virtanen, K Heikinheimo, M Hormia, T Kivelä, L Laitinen and L E Thornell

Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Intermediate filaments are found in most nucleated cells as part of their cytoskeleton. Intermediate filaments are formed by different proteins in cells of major tissues types. Therefore, antibodies against intermediate filaments can be used in tissue typing, in the analysis of cell lineages during development and in the elucidation of the origin of unknown tumors.