ISSN:
0730-2312
Keywords:
Meltrin-α
;
ADAM
;
osteoblast
;
cell fusion
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Meltrin-α is a myoblast gene product reported to be required for cell fusion [Yagami-Hiromasa et al. (1995): Nature 377:652-656]. Because Northern blots revealed expression only in muscle and bone, the suggestion was made that meltrin-α is expressed exclusively by fusagenic cells in these tissues (myoblast and osteoclast). We studied expression of meltrin-α mRNA in a panel of tissues and cell lines using the polymerase chain reaction and found it widely expressed. Meltrin-α mRNA was readily detected in the osteoblast, the most abundant cell type in bone. In situ hybridization analysis on sections of neonatal mice revealed high levels of expression in the trabecular meshwork of long bones, the basal regions of the dermis and its underlying mesenchyme. We conclude that expression of meltrin-α mRNA is not restricted to fusagenic cells and that, in bone, the osteoblast is the major source. J. Cell. Biochem. 67:136-142, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
