| First Author | Roberts JE | Year | 2009 |
| Journal | Reprod Sci | Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 286-93 |
| PubMed ID | 19087978 | Mgi Jnum | J:145739 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3835908 | Doi | 10.1177/1933719108325506 |
| Citation | Roberts JE, et al. (2009) Integrin beta-4 signaling plays a key role in mouse embryogenesis. Reprod Sci 16(3):286-93 |
| abstractText | Integrins, by signaling between extracellular matrix and cell nucleus, serve critical roles in cell proliferation and survival. A knock-in mice was developed by a targeted deletion of the C-terminal segment of the cytoplasmic tail of beta 4-integrin (beta 4-1355T). The beta 4-1355T mice had a longer gestational length, smaller litter sizes, lower fecundity rate, and higher frequency of early pregnancy loss. beta 4-1355T embryos demonstrated a high degree of fragmentation and asymmetry, with fewer surviving to either a morula or blastocyst stage. In wild-type oocytes and embryos, beta1, beta 4, and laminin-5 signals colocalized at the opposing surfaces of blastomeres and between the polar bodies and oocytes. Blastomeres within the beta 4-1355T embryos were less cohesive, with a more diffuse expression of beta 4 and laminin-5 compared with wild type. The alpha 6 beta 4_laminin-5 interaction appears to be vital for maintaining the cohesiveness between the cells of the embryo. Deciphering the role of integrins such as beta 4 in embryogenesis may help explain in vitro fertilization failures. |
