title: Spatial and temporal expression of c-Kit in the development of the murine submandibular gland.
abstract: The c-Kit pathway is important in the development of many mammalian cells and organs and is indispensable for the development of hematopoiesis, melanocytes, and primordial germ cells. Loss-of-function mutations in c-Kit lead to perinatal death in mouse embryos. Previously, c-Kit has been used as one of salivary epithelial stem or progenitor cell markers in mouse, its specific temporo-spatial expression pattern and function in developing murine submandibular gland (SMG) is still unclear. Here we used quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry analysis to detect c-Kit expression during the development of the murine SMG. We found that c-Kit was expressed in the epithelia of developing SMGs from embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5; initial bud stage) to postnatal day 90 (P90; when the SMG is completely mature). c-Kit expression in the end bud epithelium increased during prenatal development and then gradually decreased after birth until its expression was undetectable in mature acini at P30. Moreover, c-Kit was expressed in the SMG primordial cord at the initial bud, pseudoglandular, canacular, and terminal end bud stages. c-Kit was also expressed in the presumptive ductal cells adjacent to the developing acini. By the late terminal end bud stage on P14, c-Kit expression could not be detected in ductal cells. However, c-Kit expression was detected in ductal cells at P30, and its expression had increased dramatically at P90. Taken together, these findings describe the spatial and temporal expression pattern of c-Kit in the developing murine SMG and suggest that c-Kit may play roles in epithelial histo-morphogenesis and in ductal progenitor cell homeostasis in the SMG.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Laboratory for Gene Therapy and Tooth Regeneration, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tooth Regeneration and Function Reconstruction, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing, 100050, China.
authors.forename: Xuejiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Senrong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dengsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Lizheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Zongmei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chunmei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Luyuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Songlin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhipeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit