Scatter Factor/Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Its Receptor, the c-met Tyrosine Kinase, Can Mediate a Signal Exchange between Mesenchyme and Epithelia during Mouse Development
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Date
1993
Authors
Sonnenberg-Riethmacher, Eva
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Rockefeller University Press
Abstract
Scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor
(SF/HGF) has potent motogenic, mitogenic, and morphogenetic
activities on epithelial cells in vitro. The cell
surface receptor for this factor was recently identified:
it is the product of the c - m e t protooncogene, a
receptor-type tyrosine kinase. We report here the
novel and distinct expression patterns of SF/HGF and
its receptor during mouse development, which was determined
by a combination of in situ hybridization and
RNase protection experiments. Predominantly, we detect
transcripts of c - m e t in epithelial cells of various
developing organs, whereas the ligand is expressed in
distinct mesenchymal cells in close vicinity. In addition,
transient SF/HGF and c - m e t expression is found
at certain sites of muscle formation; transient expression
of the c - m e t gene is also detected in developing
motoneurons. SF/HGF and the c-met receptor might
thus play multiple developmental roles, most notably,
mediate a signal given by mesenchyme and received
by epithelial. Mesenchymal signals are known to govern
differentiation and morphogenesis of many epithelia,
but the molecular nature of the signals has remained
poorly understood. Therefore, the known
biological activities of SF/HGF in vitro and the embryonal
expression pattern reported here indicate that
this mesenchymal factor can transmit morphogenetic
signals in epithelial development and suggest a molecular
mechanism for mesenchymal epithelial interactions.
Description
Keywords
Scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor
Citation
Eva Sonnenberg-Riethmacher; 1993; Scatter Factor/Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Its Receptor, the c-met Tyrosine Kinase, Can Mediate a Signal Exchange between Mesenchyme and Epithelia during Mouse Development; The Journal of Cell Biology