| First Author | Harada M | Year | 2022 |
| Journal | Congenit Anom (Kyoto) | PubMed ID | 36517931 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:332234 | Mgi Id | MGI:7413063 |
| Doi | 10.1111/cga.12502 | Citation | Harada M, et al. (2022) Mouse vaginal development with lateral enlargement at late embryonic stages and caudal elongation after birth. Congenit Anom (Kyoto) |
| abstractText | Mullerian ducts give rise to the oviducts, uterus, cervix, and vagina. During female reproductive tract development in mice, the bilateral Mullerian duct epithelium grows caudally until reaching the urogenital sinus epithelium. This is followed by further caudal growth with the reduction of the urogenital sinus epithelium. Finally, the vaginal epithelium of adult mice is entirely derived from the Mullerian duct epithelium. Here, we explored the mechanisms underlying mouse vaginal development via cell proliferation, apoptosis, and lineage analyses. We found that at the late embryonic stages, apoptosis occurred at the attachment site of bilateral Mullerian duct epithelia below the cervix, resulting in bilateral lumen traffic. The Mullerian duct epithelium was enclosed by the urogenital sinus epithelium at their boundary region on embryonic day (E) 16.5, whereas the Mullerian duct epithelium encased the urogenital sinus epithelium at postnatal day (P) 0 through lateral enlargement. Lateral Mullerian duct enlargement was accompanied by focal ERK activation within the curved epithelial tips and the specific localization of mitotic nuclei on the luminal side of the Mullerian duct epithelial layer at E17.5. Descent of the Mullerian duct epithelium and shortening of the urogenital sinus epithelium occurred rapidly after birth, accompanied by cell proliferation in the Mullerian duct epithelium and its peripheral mesenchymal tissues as well as intense apoptosis in the urogenital sinus epithelium around their boundary region. Urogenital sinus epithelium was localized at the base of the vagina at P7. In conclusion, the mouse vagina develops laterally at the late embryonic stages and caudally after birth. |
