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Tissue recombinants to study extracellular matrix targeting to basement membranes
Patricia Simon-Assmann1, Anne-Laure Bolcato-Bellemin, Annick Klein
1Inserm U682, Development and Physiopathology of the Intestine and Pancreas, 67200, Strasbourg, France. Patricia.Simon-Assmann@inserm.u-strasbg.fr
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|February 28, 2009
Summary
This study developed a novel experimental model to trace the cellular origin of basement membrane molecules in embryonic intestines. The findings reveal specific epithelial or mesenchymal origins for these molecules, impacting their developmental patterns.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Extracellular Matrix Research
Background:
- Existing methods struggle to identify the cellular source of specific basement membrane molecules in the subepithelial region.
- Understanding the origin of basement membrane components is crucial for comprehending tissue development and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and validate an experimental model for distinguishing the cellular origin of basement membrane molecules in embryonic intestines.
- To investigate the expression patterns and cellular origins of individual basement membrane constituents.
- To explore the utility of this model for studying the regulation of functional markers.
Main Methods:
- Construction of interspecies embryonic intestine recombinants (chick and mouse).
- In vivo transplantation of recombinants into chick embryos for developmental growth.
- Application of species-specific immunocytochemistry on cryosections to identify molecule origins.
Main Results:
- Successfully determined the precise epithelial or mesenchymal origin of various intestinal basement membrane molecules.
- Demonstrated that some molecules originate exclusively from epithelial or mesenchymal cells, while others have a dual origin.
- Observed distinct, development-dependent expression patterns for each identified molecule.
Conclusions:
- The developed interspecies recombination model is effective for tracing the cellular origin of basement membrane molecules.
- This approach provides novel insights into the differential contribution of epithelial and mesenchymal cells to the basement membrane.
- The model can be applied to study the regulation of functional markers, such as digestive enzymes, during development.
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