Basement membrane composition in the early mouse embryo day 7

Abstract

Basement membranes (BM) are specialized structures of the extracellular matrix known to be involved in various early developmental processes. Despite numerous investigations on the localization of BM components, it remains unknown which molecules are expressed in early developmental stages and by which germ layers these proteins are produced. Therefore, we tested for all known laminin chains, nidogens, collagen type IV, and perlecan by means of light microscopic immunostaining and performed in situ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to detect the mRNAs specific for laminin ␣1, laminin ␤1, the ␣1 chain of collagen type IV, nidogen-2, and perlecan in the early mouse embryo, day 7, in vivo. Only the laminin chains ␣1, ␤1, and ␥1 were detected immunohistochemically throughout the entire endodermal and ectodermal BM zones of the embryo proper. The mRNA of laminin ␣1, laminin ␤1, collagen type IV, nidogen-2 and perlecan were expressed in the ectoderm-derived mesoderm, in the endoderm as well as in the ectoderm. In contrast, Reichert's membrane was positive for all laminin chains except for the ␣4, ␣5, ␤3, and ␥3 chains. Moreover, maternal epithelial as well as mesenchymal cells expressed laminins, nidogen-1 and nidogen-2, collagen type IV, and perlecan. In conclusion, laminin-1 might be the only laminin isoform in the early mouse embryo that, together with the other main BM components, nidogens, collagen type IV, and perlecan, is synthesized by all three germ layers.

Recombinant mouse SPARC promotes parietal endoderm differentiation and cardiomyogenesis in embryoid bodies

“…Low levels of collagen IVa5 are detectable in vivo by day 11.5 p.c. during mouse embryogenesis, forming a key component of Reichert's membrane (Poschl et al 2004;Gersdorff et al 2005). Given the increase in ECM underlying PE observed for EBs cultured in the presence of rmSPARC, SPARC may in vivo serve to regulate changes in ECM synthesis and remodeling during early endodermal cell differentiation.…”

Endostatin and endorepellin: A common route of action for similar angiostatic cancer avengers

“…Domain V has a high-affinity binding site for the laminin receptor α-dystroglycan, higher than laminin α1 and α2 chains [5, 135, 136]. Interestingly, perlecan and laminin α1 chain are major components of the Reichert’s membrane [137], and a complex between perlecan and dystroglycan has been described to occur at the neuromuscular junction [138–140]. As mentioned above, gliomedin has been recently discovered to participate in this interaction.…”

Activation of the PTHRP/adenylate cyclase pathway promotes differentiation of rat XEN cells into parietal endoderm, whereas Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes differentiation into visceral endoderm

“…PE cells are dispersed over the inner surface of the trophoblast giant cell layer. There is a thick multilayered basement membrane, so called Reichert's membrane between the PE cells and the trophoblast cells, which is composed of extracellular matrix proteins, in particular, laminins, collagen 4, nidogen and perlecan (Hogan et al, 1980;Gersdorff et al, 2005). PE cells have a morphology characteristic of motile cells with minimal cell-cell adhesion and express the mesenchymal markers, snail and vimentin (Gardner, 1983;Nieto et al, 1992;Smith et al, 1992).…”