Uroplakin
Uroplakin, or uroplakins, refers to a family of membrane proteins expressed predominantly in the urothelium of the urinary tract. They are major components of the asymmetric unit membrane plaques that cover the apical surface of umbrella cells and contribute to the bladder’s permeability barrier, helping to protect underlying tissues from urine solutes and microorganisms.
The uroplakin family comprises several members, including UPK1A, UPK1B, UPK2, UPK3A, and UPK3B. UPK1A forms a
Expression of uroplakins is tied to urothelial differentiation; they are abundant in the differentiated umbrella cell
Clinical and research significance: uroplakins are used as immunohistochemical markers to identify urothelial origin in pathological