Keratin 18 pseudogene 5 (KRT18P5)

Keratin 18 pseudogene 5 (KRT18P5) is a pseudogene derived from the keratin 18 gene, located somewhere in the human genome but lacking the ability to encode a functional protein[2][3][7]. It arose through duplication and/or retrotransposition events associated with the highly duplicated keratin gene clusters[3][7]. Unlike the functional keratin 18 gene (KRT18), which encodes an epithelial intermediate filament protein with important biological and clinical roles[1][5], KRT18P5 is not expressed as a protein, has no known physiological function, is not implicated in disease, and is not considered a therapeutic target[2][3][7].\n\nKey distinctions:\n- Keratin 18 pseudogenes, including KRT18P5, number over 70 in the human genome and are dispersed rather than clustered like the canonical keratin genes[3][7]. Most lack function and clinical relevance.\n- The related functional protein, Keratin 18 (KRT18), is involved in epithelial structure, cell death, and cancer biology and is a clinical biomarker, but its pseudogenes such as KRT18P5 have no such role[1][5].\n\nNo evidence exists that KRT18P5 is misspelled, misannotated, or incomplete, but it is important not to confuse it with the functional keratin 18 gene (KRT18)[2][3][5].

Other names

Keratin 18 pseudogene 5KRT18P5