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KRT10 / Keratin, type I cytoskeletal 10 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for KRT10
Plan KRT10 chromogenic IHC in paraffin sections using skin as a positive tissue (HPA tissue IHC). Use the catalog antibody at 1:100–1:300 (datasheet A02305-1), then score cytoplasmic staining in corneal-layer cells (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
KRT10 Immunohistochemistry Experimental Design Guide
Expected localisation, validated protocols, controls and antibodies — the at-a-glance facts below, then the full design guide.
Must know before staining
| Expected localisation | Cytoplasmic in skin squamous epithelium (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Corneal-layer cells show selective cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A02305-1) | |
| Positive control | Skin | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue+4 more · see all |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Keep paraffin-section fixation consistent across samples. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | A secreted variant may complicate RNA–stain concordance (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Expressed during suprabasal differentiation (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | No isoforms; extracellular vs cytoplasmic epitope may matter (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended KRT10 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody has an IHC-P protocol (datasheet A02305-1). Published KRT10 IHC methods provide cervical tissue and human corneal epithelium examples (PMC9530870; PMC12395845).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human tonsil tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02305-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02305-1); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 (datasheet A02305-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-KRT10, 1:100-1:300 (datasheet A02305-1) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (standard) |
| Detection | HRP-polymer secondary, DAB chromogen 5–10 min (standard) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | KRT10-positive staining in cells in corneal layer of skin (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA tissue profile: Selective cytoplasmic expression in squamous epithelium of skin. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with heat-mediated Tris-EDTA at pH 9.0 for the catalog antibody (datasheet A02305-1). The corneal protocol used EDTA at pH 9.0 (PMC12395845).
Section 2
What Is the Expected KRT10 Staining Pattern?
KRT10 is an intermediate filament protein of suprabasal keratinocytes (UniProt P13645 function). In paraffin sections, expect selective cytoplasmic staining in skin squamous epithelium (HPA tissue IHC, Enhanced reliability). UniProt also lists cell surface and extracellular locations, but KRT10 has no transmembrane segment (UniProt P13645 subcellular location and topology). Interpret those locations in the context of the observed tissue pattern.
| Cytoplasmic staining follows the suprabasal layers of skin squamous epithelium; cells in the corneal layer stain. | This fits KRT10 expression during keratinocyte differentiation (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity and function). HPA reports selective cytoplasmic skin staining and medium staining in corneal-layer cells (HPA tissue IHC). Assess the layer pattern alongside the counterstain; HPA does not assign one intensity to every suprabasal layer. |
| Predominantly nuclear staining appears in skin epithelium. | A nuclear-dominant result does not match HPA's selective cytoplasmic tissue pattern or UniProt's principal intermediate-filament function (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P13645 function). Treat it as suspect and inspect the counterstain, chromogen deposition, and omission control before scoring it as KRT10 (general IHC practice). |
| The main signal is in adipocytes, glandular cells, or respiratory epithelial cells. | HPA reports KRT10 as not detected in adipocytes of adipose tissue, glandular cells of adrenal gland and appendix, and bronchial respiratory epithelium (HPA tissue IHC). Consider antibody cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity; compare with a reagent-omission control rather than assigning specificity from staining alone (general IHC practice). |
| Diffuse chromogen covers epithelium, stroma, and blank slide areas without a discernible cell pattern. | A field-wide deposit cannot establish the selective cytoplasmic pattern reported for skin (HPA tissue IHC). Inspect reagent-omission controls and background across the section; adjust blocking, washes, and detection conditions according to the assay workflow (general IHC practice). |
| Skin epithelium, including the suprabasal region, has no interpretable signal. | That conflicts with UniProt's suprabasal expression and HPA's skin staining (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). First confirm that the section contains intact, assessable epithelium, then check antibody and detection controls (general IHC practice). A negative run alone cannot establish absent KRT10 expression. |
💡Expected KRT10 appearanceCall a section positive when staining is chiefly cytoplasmic in suprabasal skin squamous epithelium, with the corneal-layer signal compatible with HPA's medium rating (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC); nuclear-dominant or widespread non-epithelial staining is suspect relative to that reference pattern (HPA tissue IHC).
| Anatomic layer and tissue | UniProt places KRT10 throughout suprabasal layers, including stratum corneum (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity). HPA's observed paraffin-section profile is selective cytoplasmic expression in skin squamous epithelium, with medium corneal-layer staining (HPA tissue IHC). Use layer and tissue identity together when judging a positive. |
| Compartment and assembly | KRT10 forms keratin intermediate filaments, primarily with KRT1, supporting a cytoplasmic epithelial pattern (UniProt P13645 function and subunit). UniProt also lists surface and extracellular locations and no transmembrane segment (UniProt P13645 subcellular location and topology). Those annotations do not establish that a surface-only paraffin-section pattern is the expected HPA tissue-IHC result. |
| Evidence for antibody interpretation | HPA rates tissue staining Enhanced and records IHC Enhanced status for HPA012014 and CAB000132 (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). This supports the reported skin pattern as a reference, while staining outside that pattern still needs controls and tissue context (general IHC practice). The record supplies no epitope map or working dilution. |
| Processing and retrieval limits | UniProt lists a single KRT10 chain, no signal peptide or propeptide, no annotated isoforms, and phosphorylation sites (UniProt P13645 processing and modified residues). These facts do not identify the antibody epitope or establish KRT10-specific retrieval or fixation sensitivity. If signal fails, assess retrieval against the antibody's own instructions and run controls (general IHC practice). |
| IF/ICC question: should fluorescence match this IHC pattern? | HPA provides a secreted subcellular summary but no ICC-IF image-bearing cell lines, and neither listed antibody has ICC validation recorded (HPA subcellular; HPA antibodies). An IF/ICC pattern therefore cannot be verified from this payload; use the separate IF/ICC guide for assay design. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No staining in an intact skin section | The result conflicts with the expected suprabasal skin expression (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC); the failed step is undetermined. | Verify tissue orientation and epithelial preservation, then review the antibody, detection, and run controls (general IHC practice). Check retrieval against the antibody's documented instructions; no KRT10-specific retrieval condition is supplied. |
| Only basal epithelial cells stain | Basal-restricted staining does not fit UniProt's suprabasal distribution or HPA's selective skin squamous-epithelium profile (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). | Recheck layer assignment with morphology and the counterstain. Compare another skin section and assay controls before interpreting basal signal as target-specific (general IHC practice). |
| Strong nuclear or stromal staining dominates | The dominant compartment differs from HPA's cytoplasmic epithelial profile (HPA tissue IHC). Its source cannot be identified from appearance alone. | Inspect a reagent-omission control and section morphology; review detection background and antibody conditions before scoring (general IHC practice). |
| A nominally negative cell population stains | HPA reports not detected for several sampled non-squamous populations, including bronchial respiratory epithelium (HPA tissue IHC). Cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity is possible (general IHC practice). | Confirm cell identity, compare the skin reference pattern, and test appropriate omission or endogenous-activity controls for the chosen detection system (general IHC practice). |
| Diffuse background obscures epithelial boundaries | Background prevents assessment of HPA's selective cytoplasmic pattern (HPA tissue IHC); the deposit's mechanism remains uncertain. | Review blocking, washes, detection exposure, and reagent-omission controls, changing one assay condition at a time (general IHC practice). |
| Surface-like or extracellular staining appears without cytoplasmic epithelial staining | UniProt lists surface and extracellular locations, but HPA's observed tissue-IHC profile is cytoplasmic in skin squamous epithelium (UniProt P13645 subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC). | Record the compartment separately, check morphology and omission controls, and avoid calling an isolated surface deposit the expected paraffin-section positive pattern (general IHC practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing KRT10 staining
A02305-1 · IHCImmunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human tonsil. 1, Antibody was diluted at 1:200 (4° overnight). 2, Tris-EDTA, pH9.0 was use
A02305-1 · IFImmunofluorescence analysis of A549 cells, using Keratin 10 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the synthesized peptide.
M02305-1 · IHCImmunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human bladder, using Cytokeratin 10 Antibody.
M02305-1 · IFImmunofluorescent analysis of HACAT cells, using Cytokeratin 10 Antibody.
A02305-2 · IFICC staining Cytokeratin 10 in Hela cells (green). The nuclear counter stain is DAPI (blue). Cells were fixed in paraformaldehyde, permeabil
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000186395-KRT10/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_367550
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000186395-KRT10/tissue/colon#imid_367476
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000186395-KRT10/tissue/liver#imid_367485
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000186395-KRT10/tissue/kidney#imid_367470
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for KRT10 IHC & IF
🧪Run skin first: cells in the corneal layer should stain (HPA: Medium). Run adipose tissue as a negative, focusing on adipocytes (HPA: Not detected); basal epidermal cells on the skin slide provide an internal negative comparison (UniProt P13645: KRT10 is seen in suprabasal layers).
Positive control tissue: Skin (Cells in corneal layer, HPA Medium)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA carries no ICC-IF cell line for KRT10; derive a cell-line control from the positive tissue's cell type (Cells in corneal layer) and confirm it by RNA or western blot first.
Technical controls: Include a no-primary/secondary-only control, a host-species- and Ig-class-matched isotype control, and KRT10-knockout tissue if available (standard IHC practice). Quench endogenous peroxidase for chromogenic detection and check the corneal layer for surface background before scoring (standard IHC practice; HPA: Medium in cells in the corneal layer).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported in the supplied evidence, and the selected A02305-1 paraffin-IHC caption does not state a fixative (selected caption). The caption uses Tris-EDTA at pH 9.0 for antigen retrieval and a 1:200 primary dilution overnight at 4°C; retrieval dependence and whether frozen sections or IF are easier are unreported (selected caption). Keratinized surface material can retain nonspecific signal, so compare staining in the corneal layer with adjacent epidermal cells when scoring (standard IHC practice; HPA: Medium in cells in the corneal layer).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for KRT10
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Enhanced — High consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data. At least one protein variant secreted, tissue location of RNA and protein might differ and correlation is complex.). Rows are taken directly from the HPA tissue chart — click any row's HPA link to view the source.
Positive expression · recommended positive controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin | Cells in corneal layer | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Adrenal gland | Glandular cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Appendix | Glandular cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bone marrow | Hematopoietic cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Breast | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced KRT10 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot chromogenic KRT10 IHC by checking retrieval, tissue architecture, and compartment-specific staining before comparing scores across sections.
What should I change if KRT10 staining is weak after antigen retrieval?
Use heat-mediated Tris-EDTA at pH 9.0 for antigen retrieval before chromogenic IHC (datasheet A02305-1). The paraffin-section tonsil example used this buffer with primary antibody at 1:200 overnight at 4°C, providing a documented starting condition for this SKU (datasheet A02305-1). If staining remains weak, compare retrieval heating and cooling conditions on adjacent sections while holding antibody concentration and detection constant (standard IHC practice). If that comparison fails, test an alternative retrieval buffer only as a fallback, with a positive tissue control and a no-primary control in the same run (standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven KRT10 staining?
Target-specific sensitivity of KRT10 to fixation is unknown from the supplied evidence, so do not assign weak staining to a particular fixative on that basis (supplied evidence). The selected image documents paraffin-embedded human tonsil and its retrieval conditions, but does not state the fixative or fixation duration (datasheet A02305-1). Record each specimen’s fixative, time in fixative, section thickness, and processing history before comparing staining across blocks (standard IHC practice). To investigate a fixation effect, stain sections processed under documented conditions in the same run and compare the expected suprabasal pattern alongside background and tissue preservation (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; standard IHC practice).
Where should convincing KRT10 chromogenic signal appear in a section?
Look for cytoplasmic staining in suprabasal cells of stratified epithelium, including the stratum corneum where cells remain interpretable (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). Skin provides a documented positive reference, with selective squamous epithelial expression and medium staining in corneal-layer cells (HPA tissue IHC). KRT10 participates in intermediate filament networks with KRT1, so assess staining in relation to cell layers and morphology rather than reading brown pigment alone (UniProt P13645 function and subunit; standard IHC practice). Surface-associated signal is possible in reported settings, but diffuse nuclear staining would require separate validation before being called KRT10 (UniProt P13645 subcellular location; standard IHC practice).
How should an unknown antibody epitope affect KRT10 IHC troubleshooting?
The supplied record lists 0 isoforms and an intermediate-filament rod spanning residues 146–460, but it does not map this antibody’s epitope (UniProt P13645 record; supplied evidence). KRT10 also has reported phosphoserines, including residues 14 and 16; their presence alone does not establish an effect on this antibody’s staining (UniProt P13645 modified residues; supplied evidence). If a section stains unexpectedly, verify the antibody’s stated immunogen or epitope before attributing the result to processing or modification (standard IHC practice). Compare adjacent sections under the documented retrieval condition and evaluate the expected suprabasal distribution, since a single staining change cannot identify which epitope was exposed (datasheet A02305-1; UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; standard IHC practice).
How can I compare KRT10 IHC with a multiplex IF experiment?
Use the chromogenic IHC pattern as an anatomical reference, then include a differentiation-associated partner such as KRT1 when designing multiplex IF for suprabasal cells (UniProt P13645 subunit and tissue specificity; standard IF practice). Choose spectrally separated fluorophores and check unstained tissue in each detection channel, because tissue autofluorescence can resemble specific IF signal (standard IF practice). For an intracellular filament epitope, permeabilise sufficiently to admit antibody; for a proposed surface epitope, compare staining before and after permeabilisation because the antibody’s epitope side is unspecified (UniProt P13645 subcellular location; supplied evidence; standard IF practice). Keep IF fixation and antibody performance under separate validation rather than transferring the paraffin-section IHC conditions to IF (datasheet A02305-1; standard IF practice).
What should I check when KRT10 IHC has widespread brown background?
Run a no-primary section to locate signal arising from the detection system, and inspect unstained or counterstained tissue for pigment that could be mistaken for chromogen (standard IHC practice). Confirm that the peroxidase block, protein block, washes, and chromogen development were applied consistently across sections (standard chromogenic IHC practice). If background rises with primary antibody concentration, compare a dilution series around the documented 1:200 condition while retaining the same retrieval and detection settings (datasheet A02305-1; standard IHC practice). Judge improvement by preservation of the expected suprabasal cytoplasmic pattern, rather than by reduced brown signal alone (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice).
How should I quantify KRT10 staining across paraffin sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the epithelial region and suprabasal compartment before scoring, using morphology and the counterstain to keep the sampled area consistent (UniProt P13645 tissue specificity; standard IHC practice). Within that region, report the percentage of positive cells and an H-score based on staining intensity; record the scoring thresholds and observer or image-analysis method (standard IHC practice). Normalise cell-based scores to evaluable suprabasal epithelial cells, or report positive-cell density per mm² of evaluable epithelium when section area is the denominator (standard IHC practice). Exclude folds, detached material, and poorly preserved areas using the same predefined rules for every specimen, and keep retrieval and chromogen development comparable between runs (standard IHC practice).
How can I distinguish true KRT10 staining from an artefact?
A credible result follows suprabasal epithelial layers and is predominantly cytoplasmic, consistent with the documented tissue pattern and filament function (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P13645 function and tissue specificity). Treat isolated nuclear signal or staining in adipocytes as suspect until independently checked, because the supplied skin profile is cytoplasmic and HPA reports adipocytes as not detected (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice). Check whether signal concentrates at section edges, folds, or necrotic areas, and compare those regions with the no-primary control before scoring (standard IHC practice). If brown signal persists without primary antibody, investigate endogenous enzyme activity and detection reagents before interpreting it as KRT10 (standard chromogenic IHC practice).
Boster reagents
Best KRT10 / Keratin, type I cytoskeletal 10 IHC Antibodies
The catalog lists anti-KRT10 antibodies for human, mouse and rat IHC and IF (catalog: A02305-1, M02305-1, A02305-2), with human tissue IHC and HeLa ICC images (catalog: image captions).
Real IHC data
Anti-Cytokeratin 10 KRT10 Antibody
Cat # A02305-1
Real IHC data
Anti-Cytokeratin 10 KRT10 Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody
Cat # M02305-1
Real IF data
Anti-Cytokeratin 10 KRT10 Antibody
Cat # A02305-2
A02305-1 shows paraffin-embedded human tonsil IHC at 1:200 after Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 retrieval (A02305-1 image caption); M02305-1 shows paraffin-embedded human bladder IHC (M02305-1 image caption). A02305-2 shows ICC in paraformaldehyde-fixed, permeabilised HeLa cells (A02305-2 image caption), while its catalog also lists IHC (catalog: A02305-2 applications).
Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose A02305-1 when its documented tonsil staining and retrieval conditions are useful (A02305-1 image caption), or M02305-1 for a monoclonal antibody with a bladder IHC image (catalog: M02305-1 clone EEF-11; M02305-1 image caption); neither IHC caption reports the fixative (A02305-1 and M02305-1 image captions). For IF/ICC, A02305-2 has a HeLa ICC image with stated fixation and permeabilisation (A02305-2 image caption). For human, mouse or rat samples, all three list reactivity with those species (catalog: A02305-1, M02305-1, A02305-2 reactivity); the pictured IHC tissues are human (A02305-1 and M02305-1 image captions).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P13645 (K1C10_HUMAN, Keratin, type I cytoskeletal 10).
- Human Protein Atlas. KRT10 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Enhanced).
- Human Protein Atlas. KRT10 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Secreted.
- Human Protein Atlas. KRT10 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- Liver-originated selective autophagy of BTD by alectinib underlies concurrent hepatotoxicity and dermatotoxicity. Autophagy 2026 — PMC13502023.
- Gremlin 2 suppresses differentiation of stem/progenitor cells in the human skin. Regenerative therapy 2021 — PMC8280529.
- FOXP4 inhibits squamous differentiation of atypical cells in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia via an ELF3-dependent pathway. Cancer science 2022 — PMC9530870.
- Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Effects of Long-Term Contact Lens Wearing on the Human Corneal Epithelium. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 2025 — PMC12395845.
- PubMed PMID:2459124 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:2464696 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:16625196 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for KRT10 (Keratin, type I cytoskeletal 10). Expected localisation Cytoplasmic in skin squamous epithelium (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A02305-1). Validated IHC antibody: A02305-1 at 1:100-1:300 (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Skin (Cells in corneal layer); negative Adipose tissue. IHC workflow; specimen preparation unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human tonsil tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02305-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02305-1); verify before use.; 3. Sectioning: 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard); 4. Deparaffinisation: Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard); 5. Antigen retrieval: Heat retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 (datasheet A02305-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min , room temperature (standard); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-KRT10, 1:100-1:300 (datasheet A02305-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Keep paraffin-section fixation consistent across samples. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: A secreted variant may complicate RNA–stain concordance (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: No isoforms; extracellular vs cytoplasmic epitope may matter (UniProt); Regulation: Expressed during suprabasal differentiation (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt P13645, HPA tissue IHC · Enhanced, HPA ICC-IF · Secreted, Datasheet A02305-1, PMC9530870, PMC12395845. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/KRT10/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.