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Abstract

The recently identified nidogen-2 is a matrix protein showing homology to the well-known basement membrane molecule nidogen-1. Nidogen-1 might well serve as a link between laminin-1 and collagen type IV and thus stabilise certain basement membranes in vivo and play a major role in embryogenesis. However, the exact tissue distribution of nidogen-1 and nidogen-2 during human embryogenesis is still unclear. As a first step towards the elucidation of their possible cell biological functions during human development, we compared the distribution of both nidogens during human organogenesis at the light microscope level. Nidogen-2 and nidogen-1 were found to be ubiquitous components of basement membrane zones underneath developing epithelia of most of the major organ systems. However, in the developing intestine and the pancreas anlage, only nidogen-1 was present in the epithelial basement membrane zones of all developmental stages investigated. Our data suggest that nidogen-2 and nidogen-1, as is known for mouse development, could well participate in cell biological functions during human development. These two proteins might well be able to fulfil identical functions during human organogenesis.

Looking the Cow in the Eye: Deletion in the NID1 Gene Is Associated with Recessive Inherited Cataract in Romagnola Cattle

“…Interactions of the NID1 and NID2 proteins with many other matrix components have been demonstrated in vitro , in particular with laminins and collagen IV having the role of a stabilizing bridge ( Figure 5 ) [40] , [43] , [44] . Deletion of either NID1 or NID2 did not reveal alterations in the BM architecture [31] , [45] , [46] and it has been suggested that the two proteins may be partially redundant, each compensating for the contingent lack of the other [45] , [47] ; their tissue-specificity in development has been suggested [31] , [48] , [49] . Nonetheless, mice lacking both nidogens die shortly after birth from lung and heart anomalies, which are directly correlated to BM defects [50] .…”

A BMP7 Variant Inhibits Tumor Angiogenesis In Vitro and In Vivo through Direct Modulation of Endothelial Cell Biology

“…While there was a slight reduction in ECFC migration upon BMP7v treatment, it is unlikely that this effect is responsible for the potent anti-angiogenic effect. Despite the lack of overt apoptotic or anti-proliferative markers, cords in vitro were clearly eliminated following BMP7v treatment, as evidenced through persistent nidogen and collagen IV immunostaining (reflecting the maintenance of a “basement membrane”[ 41 ]) in the absence of coincident CD31 immunostaining. One possibility is that BMP7v caused the ECFCs to differentiate into a cell type incapable of supporting cord formation (endoMT) [ 42 ] much like BMP4 which was shown to convert endothelial cells into stem-like cells [ 43 ].…”

Nidogen-2: A new serum biomarker for ovarian cancer

“…The nidogens bind and form a ternary complex with laminin-1 and collagen type IV, connecting the two networks and stabilizing and maintaining the structure of the basement membrane 13, 15–17 . Both nidogens are co-expressed in various tissues and it has been proposed that they fulfill similar, if not identical functions and may also play a compensatory role 18, 19 .…”