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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Tracing Gene Expression Through Detection of β-galactosidase Activity in Whole Mouse Embryos
Published on: June 26, 2018
MUC4 expression and localization in gastrointestinal tract and skin of human embryos
Jin Zhang1, Mohammad Yasin, Coralie A Carothers Carraway
1Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016960, Miami, FL 33101, USA.
Abstract:
MUC4 is a heterodimeric membrane mucin, composed of two tightly linked subunits and implicated in the protection of wet-surfaced epithelia. Although human MUC4 and its rat analogue Muc4/sialomucin complex have been extensively studied in the adult human and in the adult and embryonic rat, respectively, there has been little attention paid to date to the human embryo. Based on studies with our monoclonal antibody 1G8 and commercial tissue arrays, we describe some unexpected features of the expression of MUC4 in human embryonic epithelia. In the human small intestine and colon, MUC4 appears at an earlier relative stage of development, compared to gestation time, than in the rat. Interestingly, MUC4 also appears in the embryo in the skin, then disappears late in gestation, consistent with its absence in adult skin. These results are consistent with an important protective role for MUC4 in the human embryo that is different from that in the rat or in the adult human.
Insights
Mucin 4 (MUC4) shows unique expression patterns in human embryonic development, appearing earlier in the gut than in rats and transiently in embryonic skin. This suggests a distinct protective role for MUC4 in early human development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Epithelial Biology
- Glycobiology
Background:
- Mucin 4 (MUC4) is a membrane-associated mucin crucial for protecting wet epithelial surfaces.
- Previous research focused on adult human MUC4 and rat Muc4/sialomucin complex, with limited data on human embryonic expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of MUC4 in human embryonic epithelia.
- To compare human embryonic MUC4 expression with known patterns in rats and adult humans.
Main Methods:
- Utilized monoclonal antibody 1G8 for MUC4 detection.
- Employed commercial tissue arrays for comprehensive analysis of human embryonic tissues.
Main Results:
- MUC4 expression emerges earlier in human embryonic small intestine and colon compared to rat development.
- MUC4 is transiently expressed in embryonic human skin, disappearing before birth, mirroring its absence in adult skin.
- Observed unexpected MUC4 expression features in human embryonic epithelia.
Conclusions:
- MUC4 plays a significant, distinct protective role during human embryonic development.
- The developmental expression of MUC4 differs between human embryos, rat embryos, and adult humans.
