title: Astacin-like metallo-endopeptidase is dynamically expressed in embryonic stem cells and embryonic epithelium during morphogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Astacin-like metallo-proteases are zinc endopeptidases conserved among vertebrates and invertebrates. First described as hatching gland enzymes, many members of the family possess other functions during embryonic development. In the chick, however, functions of Astacin-like proteins remain elusive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report here that Astacin-like (ASTL) is strongly expressed in mouse and chicken embryonic stem (ES) cells and exhibits a very dynamic expression pattern during embryogenesis and organogenesis, mostly in remodeled epithelia. Consistent with its expression in ES cells, chick ASTL is detected in vivo in the pluripotent cells of the epiblast and then disappears from the newly induced neural plate. ASTL expression remains at the junction of non-neural and neural ectoderm, just before neural tube closure. At later stages, chick ASTL is detected in the ventral epidermis before ventral closure, in the intermediate mesoderm, in the gonads and in the forming nephric duct and tubules of the mesonephros and metanephros.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ASTL is dynamically expressed in the embryonic epithelium and in embryonic stem cells, suggesting an important function for the control of epithelial cell behavior during early development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génétique Cellulaire, INRA, ENVT, INRA UMR444, Castanet Tolosan, France. herve.acloque@toulouse.inra.fr
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acloque
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lavial
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000294:innervation; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D055495:Neurogenesis; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C487827:Astl protein, mouse; D045726:Metalloproteases