Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Primary Oral Keratinocytes from the Adult Mouse Palate
Published on: September 24, 2021
[Cytokeratin expression in human junctional epithelium, oral epithelium and sulcular epithelium]
1Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China.
Objective:
To investigate the expression of cytokeratins (CK) in the normal human gingival epithelium and to explore the difference between junctional epithelium (JE), oral epithelium (OE) and sulcular epithelium (SE).
Methods:
Teeth specimens with gingival tissue were collected from 5 people. Paraffin-embedded sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies responded respectively to human CK5/6, 7, 8/18, 10/13, 16, 17, 19, 20.
Results:
CK7 and 17 was not expressed in all strata of JE, OE and SE. CK5/6 and 20 were weekly or moderately expressed in the suprabasal, and not expressed in the basal layer of all three epithelia. CK10/13 and 16 were positive in all strata of JE and in the suprabasal layers of OE and SE. CK10/13 was moderately to strongly expressed and CK16 was weekly to moderately expressed. The staining for CK19 was intense in all strata of JE and the basal layer of OE and SE. There was a remarkable demarcation between JE and SE. The pattern of CK8/18 expression was similar to that of CK19, but was weaker. Besides the basal layer, some suprabasal layers close to the basal layer were stained.
Conclusions:
JE is an unique non-differentiated stratified epithelium different from OE and SE. CK19 would be a histological marker and CK10/13, 16 would be the cellular markers to differentiate JE from OE and SE.
Related Concept Videos
Tight Junctions
Epithelial Tissues and Their Functions
Epithelial tissues provide the body's first line of protection from physical, chemical, and...
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Simple Epithelium
Because of the thinness of the cells, simple squamous epithelium is present where the rapid passage of chemical compounds is observed. For example, the endothelium that lines the capillaries and vessels...
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Stratified Epithelium
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Glandular Epithelium
Multicellular glands are formed during early development when epithelial budding...
Mucosal Barrier of the Stomach
Within parietal cells, carbonic acid is first formed through the reaction of water and carbon dioxide. The dissociation of carbonic acid releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions. The bicarbonate...

