Stains & CD markers
CD63


Last author update: 1 February 2002
Last staff update: 11 September 2023

Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed Search: CD63


Nat Pernick, M.D.
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Cite this page: Pernick N. CD63. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/cdmarkerscd63.html. Accessed March 19th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • Also called NKI-C3 (J Natl Cancer Inst 1992;84:422), lysosomal membrane-associated glycoprotein 3, LAMP-3, melanoma associated antigen and ME491
  • Member of tetraspanin superfamily of integral membrane proteins - tetraspanins form lateral associations with integrins and may act as organizers of multimolecular networks that modulate integrin mediated signaling, cell morphology, motility and migration
  • Intracellular lysosomal / endosomal / granule protein, in Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelium and in azurophil granules of neutrophils (Am J Pathol 1994;144:1369)
  • Serves as adaptor protein that links its interaction partners to the cell’s endocytic machinery (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003;100:15560)
  • Marker of platelet activation that is transported to surface after activation; also modulates platelet spreading on immobilized fibrinogen (Thromb Haemost 2005;93:311)
  • Associated with early stages of melanoma progression (Cancer Res 1988;48:2955)
  • Deficiency associated with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (OMIM #203300)
  • High pre-kidney transplant levels are associated with acute rejection (Transplant Proc 2003;35:1360)
  • Used for basophil activation tests (Allergy 2006;61:1084)
  • CD63 pathway from host multivesicular bodies provides essential lipids to Chlamydia to maintain productive intracellular infection (J Cell Sci 2006;119:350)
Uses by pathologists
  • Marker of melanoma (although non-specific) and melanocytic tumors
  • May be useful for other tumors (see below)
Microscopic (histologic) images

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Cellular neurothekeoma

Positive staining - normal
  • Activated platelets, endothelium, fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells and osteoclasts
  • Weakly expressed on B and T cells and granulocytes
  • Also bronchial glands, neural tissue (brain white matter and peripheral nerves), nevi, salivary glands, smooth muscle and synovial lining cells
Positive staining - disease
Negative staining
  • Epithelioid cell histiocytoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis
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