The mesothelium is a membrane that forms the lining of several body cavities: the pleura (thoracal cavity), peritoneum (abdominal cavity) and pericardium (heart sac). Mesothelial tissue also surrounds the male internal reproductive organs (the tunica vaginalis testis) and covers the internal reproductive organs of women (the tunica serosa uteri).

AUA1

• an antibody with epithelial specificity, against a panel of five cultured human mesothelial cell lines and seven human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines. PMID: 8888953

Calretinin

• a sensitive or a specific marker for mesothelial cells in cytologic specimens. PMID: 17044192
• a very useful marker for positive identification of normal and tumor mesothelial cells in serous effusions. PMID: 9390137

Cancer Antigen (CA)125

• expressed by mesothelial cells (as by other coelomic epithelium-derived cells) and a bulk marker for the mesothelial cell mass in stable peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and can thus provide data on the state of the peritoneal membrane in the follow-up of the individual patient. PMID: 7724031
• the most specific marker for the follow-up of mesothelial cell mass in vivo. PMID: 9360644

CD44

• Both E-cadherin and CD44 reliably distinguish reactive mesothelial cells from adenocarcinoma. The combination of E-cadherin/CD44 is highly specific and is a useful diagnostic adjunct with which to distinguish benign reactive mesothelial cells from adenocarcinoma in pelvic washings. PMID: 11038427
• both CD44 and the beta1 integrin heterodimers may play a role in mediating the adhesion of ovarian carcinoma cells to mesothelial cells. PMID: 10329605

CD44H

• the major cell surface receptor for hyaluronic acid, is a positive mesothelial marker for incorporation alongside other established immunohistochemical markers used to distinguish mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma. PMID: 9088956

Cytokeratins

• Rat mesothelial cells co-express vimentin and the simple epithelial cytokeratins. PMID: 1693628

Cytokeratin 5/6

• a putative mesothelioma marker. PMID: 10697265

D2-40

• immunoreactivity is sensitive for cells of mesothelial origin, and may be useful in the differential diagnosis of epithelioid malignant mesothelioma vs adenocarcinoma. PMID: 15389250
• The results from the present study suggest low specificity for D2-40 as a mesothelial marker, especially in the context of differentiating mesothelial cells from ovarian carcinoma, and argue against its inclusion in the diagnostic panel of serous effusions. PMID: 16819331

Desmin

• appears to be a promising marker for the distinction between reactive mesothelium and malignant epithelial cells in terms of both specificity and sensitivity, and its complementary use with calretinin is recommended. Unlike calretinin, it may also prove valuable for the distinction between benign and malignant mesothelial cells. PMID: 11684957

E-Cadherin

• Both E-cadherin and CD44 reliably distinguish reactive mesothelial cells from adenocarcinoma. The combination of E-cadherin/CD44 is highly specific and is a useful diagnostic adjunct with which to distinguish benign reactive mesothelial cells from adenocarcinoma in pelvic washings. PMID: 11038427

HBME-1

• an anti-mesothelial marker. PMID: 11422496
• although a sensitive mesothelial marker, is not sufficiently specific to be useful diagnostically, as almost half of carcinomas metastatic to pleura also stained positive. PMC 500270

Hyaluronan

• a peritoneal fluid marker of mesothelial cells. PMID: 9686631
• known to be produced by mesothelial cells. PMID: 9360644

Keratin

• Variable staining for keratin was observed among exfoliated reactive mesothelial cells, possibly identifying different mesothelial cell populations. PMID: 6195913
• Mesothelial cells normally have a high keratin and a low vimentin content in vivo. PMID: 6192933

Keratin7 (K7)

• expressed in abundance in cultured bronchial and mesothelial cells. PMID: 2415537

MCp130

• a 130-kDa protein, is reactive with ciliated and mesothelial cells and useful in the diagnosis of epithelial mesotheliomas and ovarian/endometrial carcinomas. PMID: 7603040

ME1/ME2

• recognise both normal mesothelial cells and mesothelioma. PMID: 8888953

Mesothelin

• a marker for mesothelial cells in cytologic specimens. PMID: 17044192

N-Cadherin

• one of the mesothelial markers. PMID: 11684957

Phospholipids

• a peritoneal fluid marker of mesothelial cells. PMID: 9686631
• known to be produced by mesothelial cells. PMID: 9360644

Protein Phosphatase Inhibitor-1 (I-1)

• a novel marker for mesothelium in the mouse. PMID: 10960791

Thrombomodulin

• a sensitive mesothelial marker and is sufficiently specific to be a useful discriminator, positively identifying, in appropriate circumstances, the mesothelial nature of a cell population. PMC 500270

Vimentin

• as an aid in the identification of cells of mesothelial origin. PMID: 6202404

WT1 (Wilms' tumour susceptibility gene 1)

• expressed during transition of mesenchyme to epithelial tissues, is regarded as a marker for the mesothelial lineage. PMID: 12635139