Making Maryland style crabcakes

You can use bread crumbs or panko--just don't use too much. The less you use, the better. The model crab cake, to my taste, comes from Chris's Marketplace--I buy them at DC's Dupont Circle farmers market regularly. I don't think he uses any filler at all.

Maryland crab cakes contain Old Bay seasoning, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce and mustard.

I love crabcakes made with panko. I'm not sure what makes a Maryland crabcake authentic besides the crab, but I almost always use panko with West Coast Dungeness.

I don't see why not. I'd just adjust the salt, assuming your panko crumbs are "unseasoned" and plain panko aren't salty.

My assumption is that crabcakes have been made in Maryland before the advent of saltine crackers.

Ultimately, do what you want. You are putting on your table, not ours. The people whom you are aiming to please are your table guests, not Food52 commenters.

Good luck.