Stromal cells are connective tissue cells of an organ found in the loose connective tissue. These are most often associated with the uterine mucosa, prostate, bone marrow precursor cells, and the ovary as well as the hematopoietic system and elsewhere. These are the cells which make up the support structure of biological tissues and support the parenchymal cells.

Cadherin-11

• Its mRNA and protein expression levels are up-regulated during the terminal differentiation of endometrial stromal cells-suggesting that this cell adhesion molecule may serve as a useful cellular marker for decidualization. PMID: 9890746

Calretinin

• can be used as a marker for normally functional endometrial stromal cells (ESC). PMID: 17188434

CD10

• a marker for normal and neoplastic endometrial stromal cells. PMID: 11781522
• a sensitive and diagnostically useful immunohistochemical marker of normal endometrial stroma and of endometrial stromal neoplasms. PMID: 11532038

CD117

• a sensitive marker for gastrointestinal stromal tumors that is more specific than CD34. PMID: 9720500

Desmin

• because it is selectively expressed in decidualizing stroma, could be considered unique enough to serve as a marker of decidual cell differentiation. PMID: 3533171

Endoglyx-1

• stromal cell marker. PMID: 16420310
• a pan-endothelial human cell surface glycoprotein complex composed of four different disulfide-bonded protein species with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 500 kDa. PMID: 11559704

Endosialin (TEM1, CD248)

• stromal cell marker. PMID: 16420310
• expressed on stromal fibroblasts and CNS pericytes in mouse embryos and is downregulated during development. PMID: 16965941
• a marker of stromal fibroblasts and is not selectively expressed on tumour endothelium. PMID: 15862292

Fibroblast-Activation Protein (FAP)

• stromal cell marker. PMID: 16420310
• a marker for specific stromal-cell-derived patterns in cutaneous melanoma metastases. PMID: 12542520
• a serine integral membrane proteinase with gelatinase activity, which is expressed by activated fibroblasts in the stroma of various epithelial cancers, mesenchymal tumors and breast-cancer cells, as well as during wound repair. PMID: 11241314
• a dual specificity serine protease expressed in reactive human tumor stromal fibroblasts. PMID: 10593948

Laminin gamma2 chain

• can be used as a specific marker molecule for human bone-marrow-derived stromal cells. PMID: 12358928

Neural Ganglioside GD2

• a novel surface marker for the identification of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). PMID: 17264296

Nucleostemin

• a marker of proliferating stromal stem cells in adult human bone marrow. PMID: 16282439

Snep (stromal nidogen extracellular matrix protein)

• a novel marker of kidney stroma cells, is expressed in a specific subpopulation of stromal cells and may provide environmental cues to support regular development. PMID: 15162516

Tenascin

• consistently found to be a stromal marker for epithelial malignancy in the mammary gland. PMID: 2440026

Other Stromal Cell Markers

• Stromal cell-associated markers: CD13, CD29, CD44, CD63, CD73, CD90, CD166. PMID: 16322640
• STRO-1, HOP-26 (CD63), CD49a and SB-10 (CD166) as markers of primitive human marrow stromal cells. PMID: 12883998
• Alpha and beta subunits of inhibin/activin as sex cord-stromal differentiation markers. PMID: 9421093
• Alpha-smooth muscle actin and other stromal markers in endometrial mucosa. PMID: 8506625
• Fluoresceinated RCA 120-stained vessels and stroma of routinely processed material more reliably than hematoxylin-eosin or labeled antibody to fibronectin and faster than peroxidase-conjugated RCA 120 or the rapid method for reticulin. PMID: 2581523