ISSN:
0730-2312
Keywords:
glycoproteins
;
glycolipids
;
cell surface antigens
;
carbohydrate antigens
;
glycosyltransferases
;
mouse embryos
;
teratocarcinoma cells
;
poly-N-acetyllactosamines
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Cell surface carbohydrates undergo marked alterations during mouse embryogenesis. In preimplantation embryos, many carbohydrate markers show stage-specific expression in diverse ways. In early postimplantation embryos, certain carbohydrate markers are localized in defined regions in the embryo. Important carriers of stage-specific carbohydrates are the lactoseries structure (Galβ1→4GlcNAc) and the globoseries structure (Galα1→4Gal). Notably, the glycoprotein-bound large carbohydrate of poly-N-acetyllactosamine-type ([Galβ1→4GlcNAcβ1 → 3]n) carries a number of markers preferentially expressed in early embryonic cells. These markers are of practical value in analyzing embryogenesis and cell differentiation. For example, in order to monitor in vitro differentiation of multipotential embryonal carcinoma cells, stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1) and the Lotus agglutinin receptor have been used as markers of the undifferentiated cells, and the Dolichos agglutinin receptor has been used as a marker of extraembryonic endoderm cells. Developmental control of cell surface carbohydrates is attained by controlled expression of activities of key glycosyltransferases; for example, the activity of N-acetylglucosaminide αl → 3 fucosyltransferase is lost during in vitro differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells to parietal endoderm cells, in parallel to the disappearance of SSEA-1. Accumulating evidence suggests that poly-N-acetyllactosamine-type glycans that are abundant in early embryonic cells are involved in cell surface recognition of these cells.
Additional Material:
2 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcb.240360102
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