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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
Mouse Fetal Liver Culture System to Dissect Target Gene Functions at the Early and Late Stages of Terminal Erythropoiesis
Published on: September 9, 2014
Characterization of developing bowel transplanted from transgenic erythropoietin receptor-deficient mouse embryos
Marcella Mascher-Denen1, Ronald J McPherson, Raj P Kapur
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, WA 98195, USA.
Background:
Erythropoietin (Epo) receptors (EpoR) are present in embryonic and postnatal mammalian bowel, and activation of EpoR signaling with recombinant Epo (rEpo) has trophic effects. Transgenic mice with absent Epo function are embryonic lethal, so it is not known whether Epo function is required for bowel development.
Objective:
To characterize bowel structure in the absence of EpoR signaling.
Methods:
Heterozygous EpoR knockout mice were mated. Bowel segments from their embryos were dissected and transplanted beneath the renal capsule of adult wild-type mice and residual embryo tissue was excised for genotyping. Transplants were harvested at 7, 14 or 21 days. The transplanted bowel segments were immunostained to identify proliferation (BrdU+), as well as neuronal (PGP9.5+), endothelial (vWF+), and neuroendocrine (synaptophysin+) cells. Gross and microscopic characteristics of intestinal differentiation were evaluated.
Results:
50 transplants were performed: bowel from 49 embryos survived to harvest and 43 showed evidence of bowel development with appropriate small or large intestinal features. No differences in morphology, immunolabeling, or BrdU incorporation were observed between homozygous-null, heterozygote or wild-type bowel. Smooth muscle and mucosal cells were present, along with neuronal, endothelial, and neuroendocrine cells in all genotypes.
Conclusions:
Enteric EpoR signaling is not essential for intestinal morphogenesis.
