The spatiotemporal expression pattern of the bone morphogenetic protein family in rat ovary cell types during the estrous cycle.
In the mammalian ovary, great interest in the expression and function of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family has been recently generated from evidence of their critical role in determining folliculogenesis and female fertility. Despite extensive work, there is a need to understand the cellular sites of expression of these important regulatory molecules, and how their gene expression changes within the basic ovary cell types through the cycle. Here we have performed a detailed in situ hybridization analysis of the spatial and temporal expression patterns of the BMP ligands (BMP-2, -3, -3b, -4, -6, -7, -15), receptors (BMPR-IA, -IB, -II), and BMP antagonist, follistatin, in rat ovaries over the normal estrous cycle. We have found that: i) all of the mRNAs are expressed in a cell-specific manner in the major classes of ovary cell types (oocyte, granulosa, theca interstitial, theca externa, corpora lutea, secondary interstitial, vascular and ovary surface epithelium); and ii) most undergo dynamic changes during follicular and corpora luteal morphogenesis and histogenesis. The general principle to emerge from these studies is that the developmental programs of folliculogenesis (recruitment, selection, atresia), ovulation, and luteogenesis (luteinization, luteolysis) are accompanied by rather dramatic spatial and temporal changes in the expression patterns of these BMP genes. These results lead us to hypothesize previously unanticipated roles for the BMP family in determining fundamental developmental events that ensure the proper timing and developmental events required for the generation of the estrous cycle.
University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0674, USA. gerickson@ucsd.edu
Gregory F
GF
Erickson
Shunichi
S
Shimasaki
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055398:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 3; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D052005:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D038681:Follistatin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005810:Multigene Family; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010060:Ovulation / Q000235:genetics; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
C525904:Bmp15 protein, rat; C525720:Bmp2 protein, rat; C525759:Bmp3 protein, rat; C525811:Bmp4 protein, rat; C525818:Bmp6 protein, rat; C525821:Bmp7 protein, rat; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055398:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 3; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D038681:Follistatin; C525899:Gdf9 protein, rat; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C498213:Bmpr1a protein, rat; C498216:Bmpr1b protein, rat; C498220:Bmpr2 protein, rat; D052005:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II