Roles of Activin and Follistatin Family Proteins in the Regulation of Placental Development
|
Accession number;05A1044258
|
| Title;Roles of Activin and Follistatin Family Proteins in the Regulation of Placental Development |
| Author;
ARAI KOJI
(Tokyo Univ. of Agric. and Technol.)
|
Journal Title;Shokuniku ni kansuru Josei Kenkyu Chosa Seika Hokokusho
|
Journal Code:X0296A
|
ISSN:
|
|
VOL.23;NO.;PAGE.25-31(2005)
|
| Figure&Table&Reference;FIG.5, REF.11 |
| Pub. Country;Japan |
| Language;Japanese |
| Abstract;This study was done to elucidate physiological roles of activin and follistatin family proteins in the regulation of placental development. We examined changes in placental weights, expression of activin subunit mRNAs, follistatin family protein mRNAs, collagen mRNAs and fibronectin mRNA in the mouse placenta during the second half of pregnancy. Placental weights noticeably increased between Days 12 and 14 of pregnancy (the day of parturition = Day 18 or 19). Type I, III, IV and V collagen mRNAs increased between Days 10 and 14 of pregnancy, when the placental weights noticeably increased. Both activin beta A subunit and fibronectin mRNA expression in the placenta continuously increased during the second half of pregnancy. Expression of activin beta B subunit mRNA in the placenta was low as compared to beta A subunit mRNA. Although a previous study revealed that FLRG mRNA continuously increased during the second half of pregnancy in the rat placenta, it decreased between Days 10 and 14 of pregnancy and remained unchanged thereafter in the mouse placenta. The previous and the present results suggest that placental FLRG mRNA shows species-specific expression patterns. In this study, expression of activins in the equine placenta was also examined. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed that activin beta A subunit was confined to endometrial glands, while alpha and beta B subunits were not expressed in the equine placenta. Activin A levels in equine placental homogenates relatively high around Day 100 of pregnancy (the day of parturition = around day 330) and then decreased as pregnancy progressed. Because activin levels in the placenta were high when placental attachment would still progress, activin may be involved in the regulation of equine placentation. These results suggest that activin may play important roles in the regulation of mouse and equine placentation. (author abst.) |
|
|
|
Related Articles;
|
|
