Key result
Dip2a shows broad expression in developing embryos and adult vascular tissues including cardiomyocytes.
Why the study?
Dip2a expression pattern has never been systematically studied and its functions in embryonic development and adult are not known.
Dip2a is broadly expressed in embryonic and adult tissues, including cardiomyocytes, supporting its potential role as a receptor for FSTL1 and its protective roles in the heart.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May implicate Dip2a in FSTL1 cardioprotection; hypothesis-generating, requiring functional validation before clinical consideration.
Disconnected (disco)-interacting protein 2 homolog A is a member of the DIP2 protein family encoded by Dip2a gene. Dip2a expression pattern has never been systematically studied. Functions of Dip2a in embryonic development and adult are not known. To investigate Dip2a gene expression and function in embryo and adult, a Dip2a-LacZ mouse model was generated by insertion of β-Gal cDNA after Dip2a promoter using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Dip2a-LacZ mouse was designed to be a lacZ reporter mouse as well as a Dip2a knockout mouse. Heterozygous mice were used to study endogenous Dip2a expression and homozygotes to study DIP2A-associated structure and function. LacZ staining indicated that Dip2a is broadly expressed in neuronal, reproductive and vascular tissues, as well as in heart, kidney, liver and lung. Results demonstrate that Dip2a is expressed in ectoderm-derived tissues in developing embryos. Adult tissues showed rich staining in neurons, mesenchymal, endothelial, smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes by cell types. The expression pattern highly overlaps with FSTL1 and supports previous report that DIP2A to be potential receptor of FSTL1 and its protective roles of cardiomyocytes. Broad and intense embryonic and adult expression of Dip2a has implied their multiple structural and physiological roles.
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Zhang et al. (2015) studied Gene expression pattern of Dip2a. Dip2a-LacZ reporter mouse model vs. Wild type littermates was evaluated on LacZ expression pattern in embryonic and adult tissues. Dip2a is broadly expressed in ectoderm-derived tissues in developing embryos and shows rich expression in adult neuronal, reproductive, and vascular tissues, including cardiomyocytes.
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