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Syndecan-4 expression is associated with follicular atresia in mouse ovary.

Ovarian granulosa cells synthesize heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), that have anticoagulant properties. Moreover, HSPGs greatly increase in the granulosa cells during follicular atresia. However, the species of ovarian HSPGs have not yet been identified. Syndecan-4 (ryudocan, amphiglycan) is a membrane-spanning HSPG and a member of the syndecan family. Herein, we demonstrate that syndecan-4 is expressed in the granulosa cells of type 4-5b follicles and, most intensely, in those of the atretic follicles in the mouse ovary, as revealed by in situ hybridization. There is no relationship between syndecan-4 expression and age or sexual cycle stage. Compared with syndecan-4 expression, syndecan-1 and -3 are expressed more abundantly in postovulatory follicles and the corpora lutea, but less in the type 4-5b follicles and much less in the atretic follicles. Immunohistochemistry also demonstrates syndecan-4 expression in atretic follicles with apoptosis. The present study has revealed the distinct modes of expression of the syndecan family members, and the association of syndecan-4 expression and apoptosis in ovarian atretic follicles.

Animals↗

Transient expression of a cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (syndecan) during limb development.

Syndecan is an integral membrane proteoglycan that contains both heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate chains and that links the cytoskeleton to interstitial extracellular matrix components, including collagen and fibronectin. Immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody directed to the core protein of the syndecan ectodomain has been used to analyze the distribution of this proteoglycan in the developing mouse limb bud and in high-density cultures of limb mesenchyme cells. By Day 9 of gestation when the limb buds are just apparent, syndecan is detected on cells throughout the limb region, including both ectodermal and mesenchymal components. This distribution does not change as the limb bud elongates along its proximodistal axis, except for its reduction in the apical ectodermal ridge. By Day 11, the intensity of immunofluorescence in the central core decreases relative to other regions. By Day 13 immunostaining is lost in the regions destined for chondrogenesis and myogenesis but persists in the limb ectoderm and peripheral and distal mesenchyme. In the limb mesenchyme cell cultures, syndecan is initially undetected, but is found throughout the culture by 24 hr. With further culture the antigen becomes reduced in chondrogenic foci and in association with myogenic cells. When chick limb ectoderm is placed on the high-density cultures, immunoreactivity in the mouse mesenchyme is enhanced suggesting that epithelial-mesenchymal interactions modulate syndecan expression in the limb bud. Based on analysis of 35S-labeled syndecan from the cultures, syndecan from limb mesenchyme cells contains more glycosaminoglycan chains and is larger in size than the previously described polymorphic forms of syndecan from various epithelia. The high affinity of syndecan for components of the extracellular matrix and its distribution in the early limb bud are consistent with a role in maintaining the morphologic integrity of the limb bud during the period of initiation and rapid outgrowth, and in preventing the onset of chondrogenesis.

Animals↗

Reduced syndecan-4 expression in arterial smooth muscle cells with enhanced proliferation.

Syndecans, a family of cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) containing proteoglycans (PGs), are known regulators of many biological processes including inhibition of smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. Cultured arterial SMCs from atherosclerosis-susceptible White Carneau (WC) pigeons have increased proliferation rates and significant reductions in total cell-surface HS relative to atherosclerosis-resistant Show Racer (SR) SMC. Using a specific syndecan-4 cDNA, 1.5- to 2.0-fold reductions in gene expression were observed in WC SMC compared to SR SMC. Immunolocalization studies demonstrated reduced cell surface syndecan-4 protein in WC cells. Gene induction demonstrated that the reduction in syndecan-4 expression in WC cells was not due to reduced mRNA stability. Studies using cycloheximide to superinduce gene expression indicated transcriptional suppression of syndecan-4 in WC cells. The results suggest that reduced cell surface HS PG in WC arterial SMC can be explained, in part, by reductions in syndecan-4 gene expression. Differential transcriptional regulation of syndecan-4 in WC and SR cells provides a system to explore regulation of the syndecan-4 gene as well as the potential mechanisms by which syndecan-4 can exert a specific antiproliferative effect.

Animals↗

Expression of early and late differentiation markers (proliferating cell nuclear antigen, syndecan-3, annexin VI, and alkaline phosphatase) by human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

Although osteoarthritis is characterized by a progressive loss of the extracellular cartilage matrix, very little is known about the fate of articular chondrocytes during the progression of the disease. In this study we examined the expression of syndecan-3, a marker of early chondrocyte differentiation, and annexin VI, a marker of late chondrocyte differentiation, in mammalian embryonic growth plate cartilage and normal and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage. Whereas syndecan-3 was expressed in the proliferative and hypertrophic zones of growth platecartilage, immunostaining for annexin VI waspredominately found in the hypertrophic and mineralizing zones of fetal bovine growth plate cartilage. Approximately 20% of chondrocytes were immunopositive for syndecan-3 in normal human articular cartilage, the number of syndecan-3-expressing chondrocytes significantly increased during the progression of osteoarthritis with more than 80% syndecan-3-positive cells in the upper zone of severely affected osteoarthritic cartilage. Similarly, the number of annexin VI-expressing cells significantly increased in the upper cartilage zones during the progression of osteoarthritis. Furthermore, immunostaining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a marker for cell proliferation, was detected in chondrocytes in the upper zone of osteoarthritic cartilage. Double-labeling experiments with antibodies against syndecan-3 and annexin VI revealed chondrocytes that expressed only syndecan-3, and cells that expressed both syndecan-3 and annexin VI. These results suggest that the expression of early (proliferating cell nuclear antigen, syndecan-3) and late differentiation markers (annexin VI, alkaline phosphatase) is activated in chondrocytes of osteoarthritic cartilage.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Expression of syndecan-1 in rabbit neointima following de-endothelialization by a balloon catheter.

Enrichment of proteoglycans is prominent in early atherogenesis, contributing not only to SMC migration and proliferation, but also to low density lipoprotein retention. A family of integral cell membrane proteoglycans termed syndecans has recently been recognized. Among syndecans, syndecan-1, the first isolated member, has received most research attention. In this study, we examined the expression of syndecan-1 in rabbit aorta and aortic neointima, developed in response to a balloon catheter-induced de-endothelialization. The tissues were processed for Northern blot analysis, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemical staining and immunoblotting. Our results indicate that in normal aorta, the signal for syndecan-1 is weak. However, arterial injury induces syndecan-1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The presence of syndecan-1 in the neointimal tissue is persistent, prominent even at the 12th week after injury. Syndecan positive cells are distributed in the whole layer of the neointima, but are not visible in the underlying media. The presence of syndecan-1 in arterial neointima suggests a novel means of mediating interactions between neointimal cells and various agents, including extracellular matrix components, growth factors and lipoproteins.

Animals↗

Syndecans: multifunctional cell-surface co-receptors.

This review will summarize our current state of knowledge of the structure, biochemical properties and functions of syndecans, a family of transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycans. Syndecans bind a variety of extracellular ligands via their covalently attached heparan sulphate chains. Syndecans have been proposed to play a role in a variety of cellular functions, including cell proliferation and cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. Syndecan expression is highly regulated and is cell-type- and developmental-stage-specific. The main function of syndecans appears to be to modulate the ligand-dependent activation of primary signalling receptors at the cell surface. Principal functions of the syndecan core proteins are to target the heparan sulphate chains to the appropriate plasma-membrane compartment and to interact with components of the actin-based cytoskeleton. Several functions of the syndecans, including syndecan oligomerization and actin cytoskeleton association, have been localized to specific structural domains of syndecan core proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Regulation of syndecan-4 expression with mechanical stress during the development of angioplasty-induced intimal thickening.

In this study, we postulated that acute mechanical strain of the arterial wall induces changes in syndecan-4 expression that in turn may modulate cellular events, which promote neointima formation. Correlative in vivo and in vitro studies were performed to determine whether: (1) balloon injury of the rat carotid artery induces spatially and temporally regulated changes in syndecan-4 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression; (2) the application of biaxial mechanical strain to cultured vascular wall cells regulates the expression of syndecan-4 mRNA and protein and its cell surface distribution and surface shedding; and (3) shed syndecan-4 directly effects cell motility behavior. We observed that syndecan-4 mRNA and protein expression were regulated in a temporally and spatially specific manner, such that initial expression of syndecan-4 was localized to adventitial cells followed by later expression in the neointima. Notably, in vitro stimulation of isolated adventitial fibroblasts with a mechanical stretch protocol that was designed to mimic in vivo balloon injury produced a rapid increase in syndecan-4 (4.3-fold increase; P <.001) that was accompanied both by enhanced protein shedding and by the disassembly of focal adhesions. Also significant was that shed syndecan-4, induced with mechanically conditioned media, appeared to be responsible for a chemotactic response of adventitial fibroblasts (P =.005). These results indicate that mechanical strain tightly regulates syndecan-4 expression, which may, in part, provide a mechanism for the activation of myofibroblast migration from the tunica adventitia into the neointima.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

cDNA cloning, genomic organization, and in vivo expression of rat N-syndecan.

The amino acid sequence of rat N-syndecan core protein was deduced from the cloned cDNA sequence. The sequence predicts a core protein of 442 amino acids with six structural domains: an NH2-terminal signal peptide, a membrane distal glycosaminoglycan attachment domain, a mucin homology domain, a membrane proximal glycosaminoglycan attachment domain, a single transmembrane domain, and a noncatalytic COOH-terminal cytoplasmic domain. Transfection of human 293 cells resulted in the expression of N-syndecan that was modified by heparan sulfate chain addition. Heparitinase digestion of the expressed proteoglycan produced a core protein that migrated on SDS-polyacrylamide gels at an apparent molecular weight of 120, 000, identical to N-syndecan synthesized by neonatal rat brain or Schwann cells. Rat genomic DNA coding for N-syndecan was isolated by hybridization screening. The rat N-syndecan gene is comprised of five exons. Each exon corresponds to a specific core protein structural domain, with the exception of the fifth exon, which contains the coding information for both the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains as well as the 3'-untranslated region of the mRNA. The first intron is large, with a length of 22 kilobases. The expression of N-syndecan was investigated in late embryonic, neonatal, and adult rats by immunoblotting and Northern blotting analysis. Among the tissues and developmental stages studied, high levels of N-syndecan expression were restricted to the early postnatal nervous system. N-syndecan was expressed in all regions of the nervous system, including cortex, midbrain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve. Immunohistochemical staining revealed high levels of N-syndecan expression in all brain regions and fiber tract areas.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Syndecan-1 shedding is enhanced by LasA, a secreted virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microbial pathogens frequently take advantage of host systems for their pathogenesis. Shedding of cell surface molecules as soluble extracellular domains (ectodomains) is one of the host responses activated during tissue injury. In this study, we examined whether pathogenic bacteria can modulate shedding of syndecan-1, the predominant syndecan of host epithelia. Our studies found that overnight culture supernatants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus enhanced the shedding of syndecan-1 ectodomains, whereas culture supernatants of several other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria had only low levels of activity. Because supernatants from all tested strains of P. aeruginosa (n = 9) enhanced syndecan-1 shedding by more than 4-fold above control levels, we focused our attention on this Gram-negative bacterium. Culture supernatants of P. aeruginosa increased shedding of syndecan-1 in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and augmented shedding by various host cells. A 20-kDa shedding enhancer was partially purified from the supernatant through ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel chromatography, and identified by N-terminal sequencing as LasA, a known P. aeruginosa virulence factor. LasA was subsequently determined to be a syndecan-1 shedding enhancer from the findings that (i) immunodepletion of LasA from the partially purified sample resulted in abrogation of its activity to enhance shedding and (ii) purified LasA increased shedding in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results also indicated that LasA enhances syndecan-1 shedding by activation of the host cell's shedding mechanism and not by direct interaction with syndecan-1 ectodomains. Enhanced syndecan-1 shedding may be a means by which pathogenic bacteria take advantage of a host mechanism to promote their pathogenesis.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Clustering induces redistribution of syndecan-4 core protein into raft membrane domains.

Syndecan-4 is a heparan sulfate-carrying core protein that has been directly implicated in fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) signaling. Recent studies have suggested that many signaling proteins localize to the raft compartment of the plasma cell membrane. To establish whether syndecan-4 is present in the raft compartment, we have studied the distribution of the core protein and an Fc receptor (FcR)-syndecan-4 chimera prior to and following clustering with FGF2 or antibodies. Whereas unclustered syndecan-4 was present predominantly in the non-raft membrane compartment, clustering induced extensive syndecan-4 redistribution to the rafts as demonstrated by the sucrose gradient centrifugation and life confocal microscopy. Although syndecan-4 and caveolin-1 moved in tandem, syndecan-4 was not present in caveolae, a major subset of raft compartments. We conclude that syndecan-4 clustering induces its redistribution to the non-caveolae raft compartment. This process may play an important role in syndecan-4-mediation of FGF2 signaling.

Animals↗

Streptococcus pneumoniae sheds syndecan-1 ectodomains through ZmpC, a metalloproteinase virulence factor.

Several microbial pathogens stimulate the ectodomain shedding of host cell surface proteins to promote their pathogenesis. We reported previously that Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus activate the ectodomain shedding of syndecan-1 and that syndecan-1 shedding promotes P. aeruginosa pathogenesis in mouse models of lung and burned skin infections. However, it remains to be determined whether activation of syndecan-1 shedding is a virulence mechanism broadly used by pathogens. Here we show that Streptococcus pneumoniae stimulates syndecan-1 shedding in cell culture-based assays. S. pneumoniae-induced syndecan-1 shedding was repressed by peptide hydroxamate inhibitors of metalloproteinases but not by inhibitors of intracellular signaling pathways previously found to be essential for syndecan-1 shedding caused by P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, or other shedding agonists. A 170-kDa protein fraction with a peptide hydroxamate-sensitive shedding activity was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE chromatography, and size exclusion chromatography. Mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the 170-kDa fraction is composed of ZmpB and ZmpC, two metalloproteinase virulence factors of S. pneumoniae. Both the purified 170-kDa ZmpB/ZmpC fraction and unfractionated S. pneumoniae culture supernatant generated syndecan-1 ectodomains that are smaller than those released by endogenous shedding. Further, a mutant S. pneumoniae strain deficient in zmpC, but not zmpB, lost its capacity to stimulate syndecan-1 shedding. These data demonstrate that S. pneumoniae directly sheds syndecan-1 ectodomains through the action of ZmpC.

Animals↗

Synbindin, A novel syndecan-2-binding protein in neuronal dendritic spines.

Dendritic spines are small protrusions on the surface of dendrites that receive the vast majority of excitatory synapses. We previously showed that the cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-2 induces spine formation upon transfection into hippocampal neurons. This effect requires the COOH-terminal EFYA sequence of syndecan-2, suggesting that cytoplasmic molecules interacting with this sequence play a critical role in spine morphogenesis. Here, we report a novel protein that binds to the EFYA motif of syndecan-2. This protein, named synbindin, is expressed by neurons in a pattern similar to that of syndecan-2, and colocalizes with syndecan-2 in the spines of cultured hippocampal neurons. In transfected hippocampal neurons, synbindin undergoes syndecan-2-dependent clustering. Synbindin is structurally related to yeast proteins known to be involved in vesicle transport. Immunoelectron microscopy localized synbindin on postsynaptic membranes and intracellular vesicles within dendrites, suggesting a role in postsynaptic membrane trafficking. Synbindin coimmunoprecipitates with syndecan-2 from synaptic membrane fractions. Our results show that synbindin is a physiological syndecan-2 ligand on dendritic spines. We suggest that syndecan-2 induces spine formation by recruiting intracellular vesicles toward postsynaptic sites through the interaction with synbindin.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Protein kinase C regulates the recruitment of syndecan-4 into focal contacts.

Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans have been implicated as co-receptors facilitating cell adhesion and growth factor binding. Recent studies on the role of a family of transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans, syndecans, in cell adhesion has identified one member, syndecan-4, to be present within focal contacts. The current study investigates the mechanisms regulating the association of syndecan-4 with focal contacts based upon its immunolocalization with vinculin in quiescent, serum-stimulated, and 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced cultures. In quiescent cells, syndecan-4 did not localize to focal contacts. However, activation of protein kinase C by TPA or serum induces the active recruitment of syndecan-4 into focal contacts. This induction preferentially localizes syndecan-4 to focal contacts behind the leading lamella, the subnuclear region, and along the trailing edge of migratory cells. Focal contacts in either freshly adhered cells or in the leading lamellae of migrating cells did not stain for syndecan-4. In addition to the observed subcellular distribution and recruitment, syndecan-4 was observed to co-localize with endogenously synthesized fibronectin fibrils within focal contacts as well as with fibrils present in the matrix. These findings suggest that protein kinase C activation results in syndecan-4 recruitment to focal contacts and its association with sites of matrix deposition.

Animals↗

A syndecan-4/CXCR4 complex expressed on human primary lymphocytes and macrophages and HeLa cell line binds the CXC chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1).

The stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a CXC chemokine, which plays critical roles in migration, proliferation, and differentiation of leukocytes. SDF-1 is the only known ligand of CXCR4, the coreceptor of X4 HIV strains. We show that SDF-1 binds to high- and low-affinity sites on HeLa cells. Coimmunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that glycanated and oligomerized syndecan-4 but neither syndecan-1, syndecan-2, betaglycan, nor CD44 forms complexes with SDF-1 and CXCR4 on these cells as well as on primary lymphocytes or macrophages. Moreover, biotinylated SDF-1 directly binds in a glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)-dependent manner to electroblotted syndecan-4, and colocalization of SDF-1 with syndecan-4 was visualized by confocal microscopy. Glycosaminidases pretreatment of the HeLa cells or the macrophages decreases the binding of syndecan-4 to the complex formed by it and SDF-1. In addition, this treatment also decreases the binding of the chemokine to CXCR4 on the primary macrophages but not on the HeLa cells. Therefore GAGs-dependent binding of SDF-1 to the cells facilitates SDF-1 binding to CXCR4 on primary macrophages but not on HeLa cell line. Finally, an SDF-1-independent heteromeric complex between syndecan-4 and CXCR4 was visualized on HeLa cells by confocal microscopy as well as by electron microscopy. Moreover, syndecan-4 from lymphocytes, monocyte derived-macrophages, and HeLa cells coimmunoprecipitated with CXCR4. This syndecan-4/CXCR4 complex is likely a functional unit involved in SDF-1 binding. The role of these interactions in the pathophysiology of SDF-1 deserves further study.

Chemokine CXCL12↗

Syndecan, a developmentally regulated cell surface proteoglycan that binds extracellular matrix and growth factors.

Cellular behaviour during development is dictated, in part, by the insoluble extracellular matrix and the soluble growth factor peptides, the major molecules responsible for integrating cells into morphologically and functionally defined groups. These extracellular molecules influence cellular behaviour by binding at the cell surface to specific receptors that transduce intracellular signals in various ways not yet fully clear. Syndecan, a cell surface proteoglycan found predominantly on epithelia in mature tissues binds both extracellular matrix components (fibronectin, collagens I, III, V, and thrombospondin) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Syndecan consists of chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulphate chains linked to a 31 kilodalton (kDa) integral membrane protein. Syndecan represents a family of integral membrane proteoglycans that differ in extracellular domains, but share cytoplasmic domains. Syndecan behaves as a matrix receptor: it binds selectively to components of the extracellular matrix, associates intracellularly with the actin cytoskeleton when cross-linked at the cell surface, its extracellular domain is shed upon cell rounding and it localizes solely to basolateral surfaces of simple epithelia. Mammary epithelial cells made syndecan-deficient become fibroblastic in morphology and cell behaviour, showing that syndecan maintains epithelial cell morphology. Syndecan changes in quantity, location and structure during development: it appears initially on four-cell embryos (prior to its known matrix ligands), becomes restricted in the pre-implementation embryo to the cells that will form the embryo proper, changes its expression due to epithelial-mesenchymal interactions (for example, induced in kidney mesenchyme by the ureteric bud), and with association of cells with extracellular matrix (for example, during B-cell differentiation), and ultimately, in mature tissues becomes restricted to epithelial tissues. The number and size of its glycosaminoglycan chains vary with changes in cell shape and organization yielding tissue type-specific polymorphic forms of syndecan. Its interactions with the major extracellular effector molecules that influence cell behaviour, its role in maintaining cell shape and its spatial and temporal changes in expression during development indicate that syndecan is involved in morphogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sequential induction of syndecan, tenascin and cell proliferation associated with mesenchymal cell condensation during early tooth development.

The cell surface proteoglycan, syndecan, and the extracellular matrix glycoprotein, tenascin, are expressed in the mesenchyme during early development of many organs. We have studied the expression patterns of syndecan and tenascin during initiation of tooth development and in association with mesenchymal cell condensation and compared these with cell proliferation. Syndecan, tenascin and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation were localized by triple-labelling immunohistochemistry in serial sections of molar tooth germs of mouse embryos. Prior to formation of the epithelial tooth bud, syndecan accumulated in the mesenchymal cells which underlie the presumptive dental epithelium, but tenascin was not detected at this stage. Tenascin appeared during initiation of the epithelial down-growth at the lingual aspect of the tooth germ. During subsequent formation of the epithelial bud, at the late bud stage, syndecan and tenascin became exactly colocalized in the condensed mesenchyme which was clearly demarcated from other jaw mesenchyme. The expression of syndecan and tenascin was accompanied by rapid cell proliferation as indicated by marked BrdU incorporation. When development advanced to the cap stage, syndecan staining intensity in the dental papilla mesenchyme increased further whereas tenascin became reduced. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the expression patterns of syndecan and tenascin overlap transiently during the period of mesenchymal cell condensation and that this is accompanied by cell proliferation. Syndecan and tenascin may play a role in growth control and in compartmentalization of the dental mesenchymal cells in the condensate.

Animals↗

Developmental regulated expression of syndecan-1 and glypican in pectoralis major muscle in turkeys with different growth rates.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, syndecan-1 and glypican, are low-affinity receptors for fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Since FGF2 stimulates skeletal muscle cell proliferation but inhibits differentiation, differences in syndecan-1 and glypican expression might affect muscle development and growth by changing the intensity of FGF2 signaling. In the present study, the pectoralis major muscle from 14 to 24-day-old-embryos, and from 1 to 16-week-old birds from a turkey line (F) selected for increased 16-week bodyweight and its genetic control line (RBC2), were used to address how syndecan-1 and glypican are expressed during skeletal muscle formation. The expression of syndecan-1 and glypican was measured by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. For males, the F-line embryos expressed more syndecan-1 (days 14 and 16) and glypican (days 14 and 18) than the RBC2 line. Similar line differences for males were observed during posthatch development. The male embryos from both lines expressed more syndecan-1 at days 18 through 22 and more glypican at days 20 and 22 than the corresponding females. The temporal and spatial distribution of syndecan-1 and glypican was detected by in situ hybridization. Syndecan-1 was identified in all muscle fibers at all embryonic stages studied, whereas the glypican was detected from embryonic day 18. The data from the current study provided new information about the expression of syndecan-1 and glypican as it relates to skeletal muscle growth properties.

Animals↗

Developmental expression of syndecan, an integral membrane proteoglycan, correlates with cell differentiation.

Syndecan is an integral membrane proteoglycan that behaves as a matrix receptor by binding cells to interstitial matrix and associating intracellularly with the actin cytoskeleton. Using immunohistology, we have now localized this proteoglycan during the morphogenesis of various derivatives of the surface ectoderm in mouse embryos. Syndecan is expressed on ectodermal epithelia, but is selectively lost from the cells that differentiate into the localized placodes that initiate lens, nasal, otic and vibrissal development. The loss is transient on presumptive ear, nasal and vibrissal epithelia; the derivatives of the differentiating ectodermal cells that have lost syndecan subsequently re-express syndecan. In contrast, syndecan is initially absent from the mesenchyme underlying the surface ectoderm, and is transiently expressed when the surface ectoderm loses syndecan. These results demonstrate that expression of syndecan is developmentally regulated in a distinct spatiotemporal pattern. On epithelia, syndecan is lost at a time and, location that correlates with epithelial cell differentiation and, on mesenchyme, syndecan is acquired when the cells aggregate in proximity to the epithelium. This pattern of change with morphogenetic events is unique and not duplicated by other matrix molecules or adhesion receptors.

Animals↗