title: CD44 isoforms during differentiation and development.
abstract: During mouse early development cell adhesion molecules are indispensable for the embryo organisation. A family of molecules probably involved in development is the transmembrane glycoprotein CD44 family, which exists in multiple isoforms. These are generated by alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA, resulting in the enlargement of the extracellular part of the molecule. The standard form of CD44 is widely expressed in adult tissues and in embryos from day 9.5 post coitum onwards, while the numerous variant isoforms exhibit highly specialised patterns of expression that are already in the egg cylinder at day 6.5 of development. In lymphohemopoiesis, specific variant isoforms also emerge at decisive differentiation stages. Although specific ligands for the variant region still await isolation, the highly organised expression of CD44 variant isoforms suggests they have a pivotal role in cellular interactions during early development, pattern formation and hemopoiesis.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwärzler
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Günthert
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing