Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. NSE (Neuron Specific Enolase) 760-2662

Neuron Specific Enolase is present in high concentration in neurons and in central and peripheral neuroendocrine cells, therefore, anti-NSE reacts with cells of neural and neuroendocrine lineage. If neoplastic cells co-express keratins and NSE, neuroendocrine differentiation is probable, however, neural tumors that do not express keratin, and show no staining with NSE would not exclude neural or neuroendocrine differentiation. Thus, detection of neural and neuroendocrine lineage requires the use of panels that include NSE and other markers such as keratin, chromogranin, synaptophysin and neurofilament.