Epithelial–Stromal Tissue Interaction in Paramesonephric (Müllerian) Epithelial Differentiation

[摘要] Duringorganogenesis,themiddletocaudalportionofMüllerianepitheliumdifferentiatesintouterineandvaginalepitheliainfemales.Functionaldifferentiationofuterineandvaginalepitheliaoccursinadulthood,andisregulatedby17β-estradiol(E2)andprogesterone.Inthisreport,therolesofmesenchyme/stromaindifferentiationofuterineandvaginalepitheliawerestudiedintissuerecombinationexperiments.Atbirth,Müllerianepitheliumwasnegativeforuterineandvaginalepithelialmarkers.TissuerecombinantexperimentsshowedthatuterineandvaginalgeneexpressionpatternswereinducedinneonatalMüllerianepitheliumbytherespectivemesenchymes.Differentiatedadultuterineandvaginalepitheliadidnotchangetheiroriginalgeneexpressioninresponsetoheterotypicmesenchymalinduction.Intheadultvagina,E2inducedexpressionofinvolucrin,aCCAAT/enhancer-bindingproteinβandcytokeratin1viaestrogenreceptorα(ERα).Tissuerecombinationexperimentswithwild-typeandERαknockoutmicedemonstratedthatepithelialgeneexpressionisregulatedbyE2viaepithelial–stromaltissueinteractions.Uterine/vaginalheterotypictissuerecombinationsdemonstratedthatfunctionaldifferentiationofuterineandvaginalepitheliarequiredorgan-specificstromalfactors.Incontrast,stromalsignalsregulatingepithelialproliferationappearedtobenonspecificintheuterusandvagina.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）

[关键词] uterus;vagina;cervix;tissue recombination;cornification;estrogen receptor α;progesterone receptor;cytokeratins;proliferation