Immunohistochemical markers of human sebaceous gland differentiation

Cryostat sections of human skin were stained with monoclonal antibodies to involucrin, a range of cytokeratins, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), and an ovarian cystadenocarcinoma antibody (OM1) to identify combinations of antibodies that could be used to discriminate between basal and differentiated sebocytes and other cell types present in the pilosebaceous unit. Both the EMA and OM1 monoclonal antibodies specifically recognized differentiated sebocytes. No staining of basal sebocytes or other epidermal cell types was seen. Differentiated (but not basal) sebocytes were also stained by a cytokeratin 10 antibody (LH2). Conversely, the basal sebocytes were recognized by an antibody specific to basal keratinocytes (LH6). Cells of the sebaceous duct stained with both LH2 and LH6 and also with the anti-involucrin monoclonal antibody. Cytokeratin 4 has been detected in sebaceous glands by protein analysis but has not previously been detectable immunohistochemically. We show by immunofluorescence after limited proteolysis that cytokeratin 4 epitopes are distributed in all sebaceous gland cells, including the duct cells.