title: Effects of mesenchyme on epithelial tissue architecture revealed by tissue recombination experiments between the submandibular gland and lung of embryonic mice.
abstract: Lung epithelium during morphogenesis maintains a sheet structure of polarized cells lining a lumen, in which E-cadherin, beta-catenin and tight junctional proteins are localized at the cell-cell contact sites. On the other hand, the submandibular gland epithelium at early stages of development forms a non-cavitated mass of cells where E-cadherin/beta-catenin are present on the entire cell surfaces and tight junctional proteins are almost absent or weakly scattered. In the present study, tissue recombination experiments were performed between the two organs to explore roles of mesenchyme in the architectural development of the epithelium. Homotypic recombinants of both submandibular gland and lung showed the tissue architecture as observed in the intact organs. In contrast, 11-day lung epithelium cultured with 13-day submandibular mesenchyme formed multilayers of cells with the lumen being less visible. It was accompanied by redistribution of E-cadherin/beta-catenin along the entire cell surfaces and by an irregular distribution of tight junctional proteins. A similar redistribution of these molecules was observed in 15-day lung epithelium cultured with the submandibular mesenchyme, although the epithelial sheet structure lining the lumen was formed. On the other hand, the tissue architecture of submandibular gland epithelium was little affected by lung mesenchyme, although the epithelium was flattened and showed branching morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hieda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015534:Trans-Activators; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C569043:Tjp1 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin