Vimentin

Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue block or cell block, or 1 unstained charged slide for each test requested plus 3-4 additional unstained slides cut at 4 microns. Adequate space on each slide for control tissue is required.

Vimentin is the major intermediate filament protein in wide range of mesenchymal cells including endothelial cells, fibroblasts, melanocytes, lymphocytes, and smooth muscle cells. It is also co-expressed in a specific subset of carcinoma such as thyroid carcinoma, some renal cell carcinoma, some ovarian carcinomas. With the identification of new organ specific markers, vimentin is becoming of limited diagnostic utility.