[The expression of cytokeratin No. 17 in squamous cell cancer of the cervix uteri: an immunohistochemical study of 19 cases].

Monoclonal antibodies E3 against cytokeratin No. 17 were used for immunohistochemical examination of samples from 19 squamous-cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix and 10 cases of squamous-cell metaplasia of the endocervix. The above antibodies selectively labelled reserve cells of the cervical canal mucosa, basal layer of mature metaplastic epithelium and parabasal and basal cells of immature metaplastic squamous epithelium. In large-cell keratinizing, non-keratinizing and small-cell carcinomas, the expression of cytokeratin No. 17 revealed tendency to basal orientation and was in many respects similar to that in metaplastic squamous epithelium. It was suggested that all the squamous-cell carcinomas studied originated from reserve (metaplastic) cells.