Expression of Melk, a new protein kinase, during early mouse development.
A new gene named maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase, Melk, has been recently identified (Heyer et al. [1997] Mol. Reprod. Dev. 47:148-156). As a basis for further study of the function of the gene, we have examined the expression of Melk across a wide range of embryonic stages, from the ovulated egg and 2-cell embryo through the gastrulation and early organogenesis stages, by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Melk is expressed in a spatially and temporally specific pattern during mammalian embryogenesis. The strongest expression was detected during maturation of oocytes and preimplantation development. Given its expression pattern, Melk may play an important role during preimplantation embryonic development. Dev Dyn 1999;215:344-351.
Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany.
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BS
Heyer
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H
Kochanowski
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D
Solter
D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D011494:Protein Kinases; C108524:Melk protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases