The notch receptor and its ligands are selectively expressed during hematopoietic development in the mouse

Members of the Notch family of transmembrane receptors are found on primitive hematopoietic precursors, and Notch ligand expression has been demonstrated on the surface of stromal cells, suggesting a role for Notch signaling in mammalian blood cell development. The current report examines the expression of Notch receptors and their ligands in murine hematopoietic tissues to determine: A) which blood cell lineages in the adult are influenced by Notch activity, and B) whether fetal hematopoiesis in the embryo involves the Notch pathway. In the adult mouse, a combination of flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and Northern analysis was used to examine Notch receptor or ligand expression in bone marrow and spleen. In the embryo, Northern analysis and in situ hybridization were used to characterize Notch receptor and ligand expression in fetal liver on embryonic day 12 (E12) through E17, an active period encompassing both erythropoiesis and granulopoeisis. Flow cytometry demonstrated the presence of Notch1 and Notch2 receptors on bone marrow-derived myeloid cells but not on erythroid cells positive for the marker, Ter-119. In situ hybridization of E12 through E17 fetal liver demonstrated widespread expression of Jagged1 and Delta1 in a pattern similar to but less abundant than that of the erythropoietin receptor. Taken together with earlier functional results, the current expression data suggest a role for Notch activity in establishing definitive hematopoiesis in fetal liver, as well as a selective use of Notch signaling in adult erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis. Notch receptors in the adult are most likely utilized by early erythroid precursors and intermediate-stage granulocytes, but not by terminally differentiating cells of either subset.