title: Spatiotemporal expression of Notch receptors and ligands in developing mouse placenta.
abstract: Notch signaling is involved in cell lineage specification in many developing organs. In mice there are four known Notch receptor genes (Notch1-4) and five ligands genes (Dll1, 3, 4 and Jagged1 and 2). Notch2 is essential for development of placenta, an organ that mediates feto-maternal nutrient and gas exchange as well as maternal adaptations to pregnancy. However the role of other Notch receptors and ligands in placentation is not known. In order to gain better insight into the role of Notch signaling in mouse placenta we thoroughly analyzed mRNA expression of all Notch receptors and ligands in all trophoblast cell types from the embryonic day (E) 7.5 to E12.5, the period during which all of the substructures of the placenta develop. Here we show that Notch receptors and ligands are specifically and dynamically expressed in multiple cell layers of developing placenta. We found that the Notch2 receptor and Jagged1 and Jagged2 ligand genes are complementarily expressed in trophoblast cells of the chorion and its later derivatives in the labyrinth. Dll4 and Notch2 expression complement each other in the ectoplacental cone, while Dll1 and Notch2 are expressed in an ectoplacental cone derivative, the junctional zone. Moreover Dll4 and Notch2 are expressed at the ectoplacental cone-decidua interface at early stages of placentation. Additionally we show that Notch2 is dynamically expressed in all trophoblast giant cell subtypes, which is consistent with previous reports. Overall these expression pattern results suggest that Notch signaling may play several diverse roles during placenta development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1. m.gasperowicz@tlen.pl
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasperowicz
authors.forename: Anshita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002823:Chorion / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015726:Giant Cells; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D000072101:Jagged-2 Protein; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D051883:Receptor, Notch2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C519665:DLL4 protein, mouse; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C000606274:Jag1 protein, mouse; C490503:Jag2 protein, mouse; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D000072101:Jagged-2 Protein; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C497765:Notch2 protein, mouse; D051883:Receptor, Notch2; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins