Stage-specific embryonic antigen 3 as a marker of visceral extraembryonic endoderm.
The distribution of the stage-specific embryonic antigen SSEA-3 was studied immunohistochemically on postimplantation mouse embryos. This carbohydrate antigen, identified as an epitope of a globo-series ganglioside isolated from human teratocarcinoma cells (Kannagi et al., 1983, J. Biol. Chem. 258, 8934-8942) was originally detected on the zygote and mouse early cleavage-stage embryos. It disappears on the early blastocyst and reappears on the primitive endoderm of the implanting blastocyst (Shevinsky et al., 1982, Cell 30, 697-705). We now show in the early egg cylinder (on the sixth day of pregnancy) SSEA-3 is present in the entire visceral endoderm but not in any other part of the conceptus. From Day 7 of pregnancy onward, SSEA-3 is restricted to the extraembryonic visceral endoderm and the visceral yolk sac cells. Therefore, SSEA-3 is a useful marker for this endodermal cell lineage in midgestational mouse embryos.
D000818:Animals; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004707:Endoderm / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis*; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy
D006017:Glycolipids; D016256:Lewis X Antigen