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Co-expression of vimentin and cytokeratins in parietal endoderm cells of early mouse embryo

Nature volume 303, pages 701–704 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

Of the five classes of intermediate filaments found in vertebrate tissues, the cytokeratins are considered unique to epithelial tissues, while vimentin is expressed by endothelial and mesenchymal cells1. In neither case is the precise function of the filament system known. Epithelial cells in culture often express vimentin as well as cytokeratins1–3, but co-expression in vivo, as reported for pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland4,5 and metastatic carcinoma cells in ascites or pleural fluid6, is still controversial. Here we report the co-expression of cytokeratins and vimentin in situ, in the parietal endoderm of the mouse embryo 8.5–13.5 days old. This population of individual, motile cells seems to be derived from a conventional epithelium by migration and differentiation. Our results support the idea that vimentin expression is specifically related to reduced cell-to-cell contact, and to the independent existence of a cell following detachment from an epithelial sheet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PX, UK

    E. B. Lane

  2. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Burton Hole Lane, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AD, UK

    B. L. M. Hogan & M. Kurkinen

  3. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 11724, USA

    J. I. Garrels

Authors
  1. E. B. Lane
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  2. B. L. M. Hogan
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  3. M. Kurkinen
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  4. J. I. Garrels
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Lane, E., Hogan, B., Kurkinen, M. et al. Co-expression of vimentin and cytokeratins in parietal endoderm cells of early mouse embryo. Nature 303, 701–704 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303701a0

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