Integrin ?IIb (CD41) plays a role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell activity in the mouse embryonic aorta.

ABSTRACT: Integrins are transmembrane receptors that play important roles as modulators of cell behaviour through their adhesion properties and the initiation of signaling cascades. The ?IIb integrin subunit (CD41) is one of the first cell surface markers indicative of hematopoietic commitment. ?IIb pairs exclusively with ?3 to form the ?IIb?3 integrin. ?3 (CD61) also pairs with ?v (CD51) to form the ?v?3 integrin. The expression and putative role of these integrins during mouse hematopoietic development is as yet unknown. We show here that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) differentially express ?IIb?3 and ?v?3 integrins throughout development. Whereas the first HSCs generated in the aorta at mid-gestation express both integrins, HSCs from the placenta only express ?v?3, and most fetal liver HSCs do not express either integrin. By using ?IIb deficient embryos, we show that ?IIb is not only a reliable HSC marker but it also plays an important and specific function in maintaining the HSC activity in the mouse embryonic aorta.

SUBMITTER: Boisset JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3654272 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature