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Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptors in peri‐implantation mouse embryos
Author(s) -
Rappolee Daniel A.,
Patel Yogesh,
Jacobson Kristine
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2795(199811)51:3<254::aid-mrd4>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - fibroblast growth factor receptor , biology , endoderm , blastocyst , fibroblast growth factor , embryo , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , trophoblast , inner cell mass , embryogenesis , endocrinology , medicine , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene , placenta , pregnancy , fetus
FGF receptor (FGFR) function is essential during peri‐implantation mouse development. To understand which receptors are functioning, we tested for the expression of all four FGF receptors in peri‐implantation blastocysts. By RT‐PCR, FGFR‐3 and FGFR‐4 were detected at high levels, FGFR‐2 at lower levels, and FGFR‐1 was detected at background levels compared to control tissues. Because FGFR‐3 and FGFR‐4 were detected at the highest levels, we studied these in detail. Between 3.5 days after fertilization (E3.5) and E6.0, FGFR‐4 mRNA was detected ubiquitously in the peri‐implantation embryo, restricted to the inner cell mass (ICM) and its derivatives and primitive endoderm by E6.0, and was not detected at E6.5. FGFR‐3 mRNA was detected ubiquitously in the peri‐implantation embryo with a tendency towards extraembryonic cells. We tested blastocyst outgrowths, a model for implantation, for FGFR‐3 and FGFR‐4 protein. FGFR‐3 protein was detected in all cells early during the outgrowth. Later, FGFR‐3 was detected in the extraembryonic endoderm and trophoblast giant cells (TGC), but not in the ICM. FGFR‐4 protein was detected in all cells of the implanting embryo, but was restricted to the ICM/primitive endoderm in later stage outgrowths. The distribution of the receptor proteins in the blastocyst outgrowths is similar to the distribution of the mRNA detected by in situ hybridization of sections of embryos. The data suggest roles for FGFR‐3 and FGFR‐4 in peri‐implantation development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 51:254–264, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.