KRT15

Structural component of intermediate filaments in the epithelium. Forms heteropolymers with type II keratin KRT5, assembling into keratin intermediate filament network that promotes mechanical resilience of undifferentiated cells, including hair follicle bulge cells, foregut basal progenitors and intestinal crypt cells. Displays an antagonist role with KRT14 in basal epithelial cells, where KRT14 promotes cell differentiation while KRT15 maintains the progenitor state and promotes proliferation and clonogenicity. Promotes the progenitor state in basal keratinocytes by maintaining cytoplasmic YAP1 less effectively than KRT14 due to missing biochemical motifs, thereby allowing higher YAP1 nuclear activity. Also contributes to epithelial cell regeneration after injury. In the absence of KRT14, forms a bona fide, but ultrastructurally distinct keratin filament network with KRT5 (By similarity)..

Function from UniProtKB (P19012), read 2026-09-23. CC BY 4.0.