Gene Expression in Early Mouse Embryos

该项目的长期目标是阐明哺乳动物早期胚胎在原肠发育过程中的发育机制。转化生长因子-β2是一种哺乳动物多肽生长因子，对不同的细胞有多种作用，可在两栖类胚胎的动物极细胞中诱导中胚层，其诱导过程与正常诱导相似。相关因子转化生长因子-β1可能在此过程中起辅助作用。我们将通过原位杂交和Northern印迹的方法寻找这两种因子在小鼠围着床期胚胎(囊胚到101天半胚胎)、胎盘和子宫蜕膜中的表达。作为一个辅助目标，还将跟踪卵巢中的表达，特别是与发育中的卵母细胞相关的表达。转化生长因子-β1的同源探针目前正在实验室中使用，如果可能的话，将使用猿猴的cDNA探针来筛选合适的cDNA文库，以获得小鼠的转化生长因子-β2的cDNA。转化生长因子-β是一种生长因子，最初被发现是一种分泌性因子，能刺激分化的细胞在培养中增殖。最近在早期胚胎中检测到了这种和相关的生长因子。本研究旨在确定哺乳动物早期胚胎发育过程中两种相关因子的水平和亚细胞定位。

The long term objective of this project is to elucidate mechanisms of development in early mammalian embryos through the period of gastrulation. TGF-beta2, a mammalian peptide growth factor having a variety of effects on different cells, can induce mesoderm in animal pole cells of the amphibian embryos in a process resembling normal induction. The related factor, TGF- beta1, may play a subsidiary role in this process. Expression of the mRNAs for these two factors in peri-implantation mouse embryos (blastocyst to 101/2 day embryos), placentae, and uterine decidua will be sought by in situ hybridization and Northern blotting. As a subsidiary goal, expression in ovaries, particularly in relation to the developing oocyte,, will also be followed. The homologous probe for TGF-beta1 is currently in use in the laboratory, and if possible, a mouse cDNA for TGF-beta2 will be obtained using a simian cDNA probe to screen appropriate cDNA libraries. %%% TGF-beta was a growth factor originally discovered as a secreted factor that stimulated differentiated cells to a state where they proliferate in culture. This and related growth factors have recently been detected in early embryos. The current study is to determine the levels and subcellular locations of two related factors during early mammalian embryogenesis.