Differential Markers of Subpopulations of Epithelial Cells of the Larynx in Squamous Cell Carcinoma

In squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, the population of epithelial cells in the tumor tissue is initially heterogeneous and, in addition to tumor cells invading the organ mucosa, includes normal epithelial cells of protein-mucous glands and cells of the stratified epithelium covering the mucous membrane. A search for differential markers to separate these subpopulations was carried out. The surface marker CD44 and cytokeratins 5 and 17 that are often used to verify carcinoma cells, are common markers for all epithelial cells of the larynx. In highly differentiated carcinoma, subpopulations of normal and tumor epithelial cells can be separated by the level of expression of cytokeratins 10 and 18 and nuclear markers Ki-67 and p63. However, in moderately differentiated carcinoma, tumor cells and normal cells of the basal layer of the stratified epithelium covering the mucous membrane of the larynx have similar phenotypes, which should be taken into account when conducting experimental studies.