Cathepsin D gene expression outlines the areas of physiological cell death during embryonic development.
The implication of lysosomes in the activation of physiological cell death (PCD) was proposed some decades ago. In this work, we show that the expression of the lysosomal enzyme cathepsin D is up-regulated in developing tissues undergoing apoptosis. By comparing vital and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) labeling patterns with in situ hybridization for this gene in a variety of tissues and organs, we show that this procedure constitutes a reliable technique to map the regions of PCD in the embryo. Using this methodological approach, we report the occurrence of two new areas of PCD in the developing limb.
Zuzarte-Luis
V
V
Departamento de Anatomía y Biología Celular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
Montero
J A
JA
Torre-Perez
N
N
Garcia-Porrero
J A
JA
Hurle
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D018878:Limb Buds / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism
D002402:Cathepsin D