Visceral endoderm-1 (VE-1): an antigen marker that distinguishes anterior from posterior embryonic visceral endoderm in the early post-implantation mouse embryo.
We describe here an antigen marker, designated VE-1, that is detected early in gastrulation (approximately E6.5 through approximately E7.25) in the anterior visceral endoderm overlying the embryonic ectoderm opposite the primitive streak. The antibody-positive domain extends from the embryonic-extraembryonic junction to the distal tip of the embryo, and laterally around approximately one-third of the circumference of the egg cylinder. Analysis of embryos at earlier stages indicates that VE-1 is first expressed shortly after implantation, at approximately E5.0, in the visceral endoderm on one side of the embryo and thus is the earliest molecular marker of A-P asymmetry in the post-implantation mouse embryo described to date. Although VE-1 was detected with a polyclonal antiserum raised against a 24 amino acid polypeptide sequence of FGF2, we provide evidence that the VE-1 antigen is not FGF2. The data reported here are the first to provide molecular evidence that A-P polarity in the mouse embryo is established by E5.0 and that the visceral endoderm has A-P polarity.
Rosenquist
T A
TA
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco 94143, USA.
Martin
G R
GR
D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000276:immunology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004707:Endoderm / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D005775:Gastrula / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D014781:Viscera / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000939:Epitopes