E-cadherin

Stains
E-cadherin

Author: Nat Pernick, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 7 July 2017, last major update June 2005

Copyright: (c) 2002-2017, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed Search: E-cadherin [title]

Table of Contents

Definition / general | Uses by pathologists | Microscopic (histologic) images

Cite this page: E-cadherin. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/stainsecadherin.html. Accessed July 12th, 2017.

Definition / general

"Epithelial calcium-dependent cell adhesion protein"
Calcium dependent transmembrane epithelial protein that promotes intercellular adhesion
Its loss is associated with invasive carcinoma
Tumor suppressor gene CDH1 is at 16q22.1
Abnormal function in carcinomas may facilitate cellular detachment leading to metastasis
Interpretation: normal pattern is membranous staining
Bladder: reduced expression in invasive bladder carcinoma
Breast cancer: absent expression in lobular carcinoma and LCIS
- Reduced expression in ductal carcinoma
- Positive expression in small cell carcinoma (Am J Surg Pathol 2001;25:831) and DCIS (Am J Surg Pathol 2001;25:229)
Stomach: signet ring carcinomas is negative for E-cadherin expression
Colonic adenocarcinoma: diminished membranous staining compared to adenomas with misplaced epithelium (Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:206)

Uses by pathologists

Distinguish LCIS from DCIS in indeterminate cases (Am J Surg Pathol 2001;25:229)
Marker of immature erythroid precursors (Am J Clin Pathol 2014;141:656)

Microscopic (histologic) images

Images hosted on Other servers:

Paget disease, nipple

Nature images:

Inflammatory breast cancer