title: Purification and immunolocalization of ovine placental retinol-binding protein.
abstract: A retinol-binding protein (RBP), synthesized and secreted by ovine allantois in vitro, was purified from culture medium. The protein consisted of three isoelectric variants (pI 5.3-6.1) of identical molecular masses of about 23,000 Da as determined by two-dimensional PAGE under reducing conditions. Thirty-one of the first 34 N-terminal amino acids of the purified protein were sequenced and shown to have complete homology with bovine placental and bovine plasma RBP. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum and fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the purified ovine placental RBP indicated the presence of bound retinol. Metabolic labeling studies demonstrated that the protein was synthesized by placental membranes. Using antiserum to bovine placental RBP, ovine placental RBP was immunolocalized in trophectoderm of 13-day-old blastocysts and trophectodermal cells of the chorion, endodermal cells lining the allantois, and ectodermal cells lining the amnion of 23-, 45-, and 53-day-old conceptuses. Results from this study suggest that ovine placental membrane epithelia synthesize and secrete RBP. Transport, storage, and metabolism of retinol mediated by placental RBP may be essential for normal embryonic development during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37901.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: K X
authors.initials: KX
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Baumbach
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Godkin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma