title: Regulation of cellular adhesion molecule expression in murine oocytes, peri-implantation and post-implantation embryos.
abstract: Expression of the adhesion molecules, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, NCAM, CD44, CD49d (VLA-4, alpha chain), and CD11a (LFA-1, alpha chain) on mouse oocytes, and pre- and peri-implantation stage embryos was examined by quantitative indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. ICAM-1 was most strongly expressed at the oocyte stage, gradually declining almost to undetectable levels by the expanded blastocyst stage. NCAM, also expressed maximally on the oocyte, declined to undetectable levels beyond the morula stage. On the other hand, CD44 declined from highest expression at the oocyte stage to show a second maximum at the compacted 8-cell/morula. This molecule exhibited high expression around contact areas between trophectoderm and zona pellucida during blastocyst hatching. CD49d was highly expressed in the oocyte, remained significantly expressed throughout and after blastocyst hatching was expressed on the polar trophectoderm. Like CD44, CD49d declined to undetectable levels at the blastocyst outgrowth stage. Expression of both VCAM-1 and CD11a was undetectable throughout. The diametrical temporal expression pattern of ICAM-1 and NCAM compared to CD44 and CD49d suggest that dynamic changes in expression of adhesion molecules may be important for interaction of the embryo with the maternal cellular environment as well as for continuing development and survival of the early embryo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Nicholas J C
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D040881:CD11a Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D039441:Integrin alpha4 / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009028:Morula / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D040881:CD11a Antigen; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D039441:Integrin alpha4