Stains & CD markers
Cytokeratin 14 (CK14, K14)


Last author update: 1 October 2013
Last staff update: 3 August 2023

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PubMed Search: CK14

Nat Pernick, M.D.
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Cite this page: Pernick N. Cytokeratin 14 (CK14, K14). PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/stainsck14.html. Accessed March 18th, 2024.
Definition / general
Uses by pathologists
  • Distinguish parathyroid oxyphil adenoma (CK14+) from carcinoma (CK14-, Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:344)
  • Distinguish breast papilloma (stronger and more diffuse CK14 staining) from papillary DCIS (Am J Surg Pathol 2005;29:625)
  • Distinguish sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (poorly differentiated or nonkeratinizing, both CK14+) from sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma or nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CK14-, Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:1597)
Positive staining - normal
  • Basal keratinocytes in stratified epithelium (various tissue/organs)
  • Hair follicles (Br J Dermatol 2004;150:860)
  • Myoepithelial cells (breast and salivary gland)
  • Thyroid oncocytes
Positive staining - not malignant
  • Breast papilloma (see above)
  • Odontogenic neoplasms (Oral Dis 2003;9:1)
  • Parathyroid oxyphil adenoma (see above)
  • Pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia-spinous and superficial layers of oral mucosa with paracoccidioidomycosis (Med Mycol 2006;44:399)
  • Renal and other oncocytoma (Histopathology 2001;39:455)
  • Thymoma
  • Trichoblastoma
Positive staining - malignant
Negative staining
  • Normal oral mucosa, most renal cell carcinomas
Microscopic (histologic) images

Contributed by Andrey Bychkov, M.D., Ph.D.

Lung SCC



Images hosted on other servers:

Breast carcinoma #1 is CK14+ (fig C)

Squamous cell carcinoma #1 oral (fig e/f)

Squamoid areas are CK14+ in urothelial carcinoma

Additional references
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