| First Author | Yokoi H | Year | 1994 |
| Journal | Biol Reprod | Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 1034-9 |
| PubMed ID | 7517699 | Mgi Jnum | J:18274 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:66280 | Doi | 10.1095/biolreprod50.5.1034 |
| Citation | Yokoi H, et al. (1994) High incidence of uterine inversion in mast cell-deficient osteopetrotic mutant mice of mi/mi genotype. Biol Reprod 50(5):1034-9 |
| abstractText | Mutations at either W or mi (microphthalmia) loci in the mouse can lead to a deficiency in melanocytes and mast cells. In addition, W mutants can be anemic and sterile, whereas mi mice are osteopetrotic because of a monocyte/macrophage/osteoclast defect. Since c-kit receptor tyrosine kinase is the gene product of the W locus and mi mutation has been suggested to affect the transduction of signals from the c-kit and c-fms receptors, we here examined the effect of mi mutation on fertility. Testes and ovaries from mi/mi mice were histologically normal, and the pattern of c-kit protein expression was not different from that of +/+ mice. Homozygous mutant crosses (mi/mi x mi/mi) were fertile, but inversion of the uterus occurred in 86% of the deliveries. In some cases, the placenta was found still attached to the inverted uterus after delivery. Decidual cells were present and expressed c-kit protein normally in the placenta of mi/mi mice. The inversion was also observed in mi/mi females mated to +/+ males. No uterine inversion was noted when +/mi females were crossed with mi/mi or +/mi males, suggesting that the genotype of the mother but not of the father or fetus is important for the pathogenesis. The numbers and body weights of mi/mi newborns were less than those of +/mi littermates. Mast cells were absent, but c-kit-positive cells were present, in the uterine muscle layers of pregnant mi/mi mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) |
