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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Analysis of Protein-protein Interactions and Co-localization Between Components of Gap, Tight, and Adherens Junctions in Murine Mammary Glands
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Mammalian hemicentin 1 is assembled into tracks in the extracellular matrix of multiple tissues

Meei-Hua Lin1, Bill D Pope1, Takako Sasaki2

  • 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists
|February 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Hemicentins (HMCNs) are extracellular matrix proteins. Studies in knockout mice show that HMCN1 and HMCN2 do not appear essential for mammalian tissue function, suggesting compensatory mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Extracellular Matrix Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Hemicentins (HMCNs) are extracellular matrix proteins found in C. elegans, forming tracks that link tissues.
  • Vertebrates possess two HMCN orthologs, HMCN1 and HMCN2.
  • The function of HMCNs in mammals remained largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vivo function of Hemicentins (HMCN1 and HMCN2) in mammals.
  • To determine if HMCNs play a role in tissue structure and function in mice.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Hmcn1 and Hmcn2 knockout mice.
  • Utilized newly developed, validated HMCN1 antibodies for detection in wild-type mice.
  • Phenotypic analysis of single and double knockout mice.

Main Results:

  • Hmcn1 knockout mice were viable and fertile with no apparent functional deficits.
  • HMCN1 was localized to basement membranes of hair follicles, sclera, lymphoid conduits, and kidney glomeruli.
  • Absence of HMCN1 or HMCN2 did not impact hair adherence, lymphoid conduit function, or immune responses.

Conclusions:

  • Hmcn1 and Hmcn2 knockout mice exhibit no overt phenotypes, indicating a lack of essential function in these specific contexts.
  • The absence of phenotypes suggests potential functional redundancy or compensation by other extracellular matrix proteins, possibly fibulins.
Abstract

Keywords:
basement membranehair folliclelymphoid conduitsmatrix proteinsclerawhisker follicle

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