title: Signaling by the extracellular matrix protein Reelin promotes granulosa cell proliferation in the chicken follicle.
abstract: Chicken oocytes develop in follicles and reach an enormous size because of a massive uptake of yolk precursors such as very low density lipoprotein and vitellogenin. Oocyte growth is supported by theca cells and granulosa cells, which establish dynamic and highly organized cell layers surrounding the oocyte. The signaling processes orchestrating the development of these layered structures are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that the Reelin pathway, which determines the development of layered neuronal structures in the brain, is also active in chicken follicles. Reelin, which is expressed in theca cells, triggers a signal in granulosa cells via apolipoprotein E receptor 2 and the very low density lipoprotein receptor, resulting in the phosphorylation of disabled-1 and consecutive activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway. This signaling pathway supports the proliferation of differentiated granulosa cells to keep up with the demand of cells to cover the rapidly increasing surface of the giant germ cell.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medical Biochemistry, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eresheim
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leeb
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buchegger
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nimpf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002645:Chickens; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D026503:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013799:Theca Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D026503:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-1; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C036053:VLDL receptor; C000717128:Reln protein, mouse
keywords: Cell Proliferation; Lipoprotein Receptor; Molecular Cell Biology; Phosphotyrosine Signaling; Signal Transduction