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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors
Published on: May 17, 2013
The tumor suppressor protein APC colocalizes with beta-catenin in the colon epithelial cells
T Senda1, I Miyashiro, A Matsumine
1Department of Anatomy I, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract:
The APC gene is mutated in familial adenomatous polyposis and sporadic colorectal tumors. The product of this gene is a 300 kDa cytoplasmic protein associated with catenin. In the present study, we examined the subcellular localization of the APC protein and beta-catenin in the mouse colon by double-labeling immunocytochemistry. While the APC protein was localized in the lateral and apical cytoplasm and in microvilli of the epithelial cells, beta-catenin was present exclusively in the lateral cytoplasm. Double-labeling-immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated precise colocalization of the APC protein and beta-catenin along the lateral plasma membrane. These results suggest that the APC protein functions in cooperation with beta-catenin in the lateral cytoplasm but has other functions independent of beta-catenin in the apical cytoplasm and in microvilli.
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