Distribution of E-cadherin and ß-catenin in relation to cell maturation and cell extrusion in rat and mouse small intestines

    9 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In the small intestines, cell renewal from stem cells present in the crypts is balanced by cell extrusion from the tips of the villi. The mechanism by which extrusion occurs is unknown. Recent in vitro data suggested that loss of E-cadherin could contribute to cell extrusion and induction of programmed cell death (PCD) in mouse small intestinal epithelium. We have studied if this also occurs in the intact rodent small intestine. Our results confirm that extruded cells are negatie for E-cadherin. However, loss of the E-cadherin-interacting protein ß-cetenin preceded both extrusion and loss of E-cadherin. Thus, all extruded cells as well as all cells in the process of extrusion lacked staining for ß-catenin. Moreover, almost 80% of all cells undergoing programmed cell death, as detected by the TUNEL reaction, lacked ß-catenin whereas over 70% of such cells were positive for E-cadherin. However, most ells lacking ß-catenin did not display signs of PCD as detected by the TUNEL method or by staining for active caspase-3. Therefore, these results suggest that loss of ß-catenin precedes the onset of programmed cell death, loss of E-cadherin and extrusion from the villi.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalHistochemistry and Cell Biology
    Volume126
    Issue number5
    Pages (from-to)575-582
    Number of pages8
    ISSN0948-6143
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2006

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