Role of the extracellular matrix in tissue-specific gene expression in the sea urchin embryo

1991 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Benson ◽  
Robert Rawson ◽  
Christopher Killian ◽  
Fred Wilt
1995 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
C H Streuli ◽  
C Schmidhauser ◽  
N Bailey ◽  
P Yurchenco ◽  
A P Skubitz ◽  
...  

Tissue-specific gene expression in mammary epithelium is dependent on the extracellular matrix as well as hormones. There is good evidence that the basement membrane provides signals for regulating beta-casein expression, and that integrins are involved in this process. Here, we demonstrate that in the presence of lactogenic hormones, laminin can direct expression of the beta-casein gene. Mouse mammary epithelial cells plated on gels of native laminin or laminin-entactin undergo functional differentiation. On tissue culture plastic, mammary cells respond to soluble basement membrane or purified laminin, but not other extracellular matrix components, by synthesizing beta-casein. In mammary cells transfected with chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter constructs, laminin activates transcription from the beta-casein promoter through a specific enhancer element. The inductive effect of laminin on casein expression was specifically blocked by the E3 fragment of the carboxy terminal region of the alpha 1 chain of laminin, by antisera raised against the E3 fragment, and by a peptide corresponding to a sequence within this region. Our results demonstrate that laminin can direct tissue-specific gene expression in epithelial cells through its globular domain.


1997 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Doenecke ◽  
W. Albig ◽  
C. Bode ◽  
B. Drabent ◽  
K. Franke ◽  
...  

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