| Title |
Epithelial Bmp (Bone morphogenetic protein) signaling for bulbourethral gland development: a mouse model for congenital cystic dilation |
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Authors |
Akiko Omori, Masayo Harada, Sho Ohta, Mylah Villacorte, Yoshiki Sugimura, Taizou Shiraishi, Kentaro Suzuki, Naomi Nakagata, Takaaki Ito, Gen Yamada |
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Publication date |
2011/9 |
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Journal |
Congenital Anomalies |
| Volume |
51 |
| Issue |
3 |
| Pages |
102-109 |
| Publisher |
Blackwell Publishing Asia |
| Abstract |
The bulbourethral gland (BUG) is a male芒聙聬specific organ, which secretes part of the semen fluid. As the BUG is located in the deep pelvic floor, its developmental process is still unclear. Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling plays pivotal roles in various organs. However, the function of Bmp signaling for BUG development is still unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of Bmp signaling in the development of the BUG. We observed the prominent nuclear accumulation of phosphorylated (p) SMAD1/5/8, the downstream molecules of Bmp signaling, during BUG epithelial development. These results suggest that Bmp signaling contributes to BUG development. Bmp receptor1a (Bmpr1a) is known as the major type 1 signal transducer in some organogeneses. To analyze the Bmp signaling function for BUG development, we examined epithelial cell芒聙聬specific Bmpr1a gene conditional mutant mice utilizing the tamoxifen芒聙聬inducible Cre recombinase system. We observed cystic dilation and epithelial hyperplasia of the BUG in the Bmpr1a conditional knockout mice. The mutant cystic BUG specimens also showed inflammatory lesions. These BUG abnormalities resembled some of the BUG malformations observed in human congenital syndromes. The current study suggests that Bmp signaling possesses an essential role in BUG development and homeostasis. This would be the first report showing that the mutation of the Bmpr1a gene in the BUG epithelia phenocopied some abnormalities of human congenital syndromes affecting the BUG duct. |
| Index terms / Keywords |
Bmp; bulbourethral gland; cystic dilation; epithelial hyperplasia; inflammation |
| DOI |
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| URL |
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Mindanao State
University - Iligan Institute of Technology