HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data All Versions of this Article: 2006-0582v1 25/3/761    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints/Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lapter, S. Articles by Zipori, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lapter, S. Articles by Zipori, D.

STEM CELL GENETICS AND GENOMICS

Structure and Implied Functions of Truncated B-Cell Receptor mRNAs in Early Embryo and Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells: C Replaces Cµ in µ Heavy Chain-Deficient Mice

^aDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel;
^bQBI Enterprises Ltd., Nes Ziona, Israel

Key Words. Mesenchyme • B-cell receptor • MSC • Embryo • Gene expression

Correspondence: Dov Zipori, Ph.D., Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel. Telephone: 972-8-9342484; Fax: 972-8-9344125; e-mail: dov.zipori{at}weizmann.ac.il

Received September 19, 2006; accepted for publication November 13, 2006.
First published online in STEM CELLS EXPRESS   November 22, 2006.



Stem cells exhibit a promiscuous gene expression pattern. We show herein that the early embryo and adult MSCs express B-cell receptor component mRNAs. To examine possible bearings of these genes on the expressing cells, we studied immunoglobulin µ chain-deficient mice. Pregnant µ chain-deficient females were found to produce a higher percentage of defective morulae compared with control females. Structure analysis indicated that the µ mRNA species found in embryos and in mesenchyme consist of the constant region of the µ heavy chain that encodes a recombinant 50-kDa protein. In situ hybridization localized the constant µ gene expression to loose mesenchymal tissues within the day-12.5 embryo proper and the yolk sac. In early embryo and in adult mesenchyme from µ-deficient mice, replaced µ chain, implying a possible requirement of these alternative molecules for embryo development and mesenchymal functions. Indeed, overexpression of the mesenchymal-truncated µ heavy chain in 293T cells resulted in specific subcellular localization and in G₁ growth arrest. The lack of such occurrence following overexpression of a complete, rearranged form of µ chain suggests that the mesenchymal version of this mRNA may possess unique functions.