A Unique Expression of Keratin 14 in a Subset of Trophoblast Cells

This study investigated the expression of different keratins in human trophoblast cells and vimentin in stromal cells of the placenta. Using immunohistochemistry on term placental sections, it was found that vimentin was exclusively expressed in stromal-mesenchymal cells, while keratins 5, 7, 8, 14, and 19 were present in trophoblast cells. Notably, keratin 14 was uniquely expressed in a subset of CK7 positive trophoblast cells, unlike other keratins which were evenly distributed. These findings were consistent in both freshly isolated cytotrophoblast cells and BeWo cells. The study provided important insights into placental cell type identification and characterization, which could be significant for understanding pregnancy-related diseases.