Robust expression of Prominin-2 all along the adult male reproductive system and urinary bladder

Abstract

Although the male reproductive system seems to be enriched in transcripts encoding for both Prominin genes, little is known about their spatial distribution in distinct segments of this organ system. This is especially true for the less-characterized second Prominin paralogue, Prominin-2. The present study, therefore, mainly examines the expression of Prominin-2 in male mice and reveals the existence of some crucial diVerences in the tissue compartmentalization of the two Prominin paralogues in the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle, prostate and urinary bladder. Our in situ hybridization analysis demonstrates that the major domains of overlapping expression between the two Prominin genes are those compartments that are derived ontogenetically from the epigonadal mesonephric tubules, i.e. ductuli eVerentes, or from the WolYan-tube/ductus mesonephricus, for instance the corpus epididymidis and vesicula seminalis. In contrast, the sinus urogenitalis derivative urinary bladder epithelium expresses exclusively Prominin-2, but not Prominin-1 (CD133). The testis expresses only Prominin-1, not Prominin-2. In human prostate, we Wnally demonstrate that the expression of Prominin-2 (transcript and protein) is highly enriched in cells located in the basal compartment of the glandular epithelium where only a minute population was recently reported to be Prominin-1 positive. Taken together our data indicate that, except for the gonad, Prominin-2 is widely and abundantly expressed along the epithelia of various segments of the adult male genitourinary tract.

Prominin-2 is a novel marker of distal tubules and collecting ducts of the human and murine kidney

“…Although many tissuespeciWc progenitor cells express prominin-1 its expression is nevertheless not limited to those with stem cell properties. Indeed, prominin-1 has been detected on the apical (luminal) side of various developing and adult epithelia found in both, mouse and human organs (Corbeil et al 1998Fargeas et al 2004;Jászai et al 2007bJászai et al , 2008Lardon et al 2008;Karbanová et al 2008;reviewed in Fargeas et al 2006) including the kidney where it is expressed in proximal nephron tubules and parietal layer of the Bowman's capsule (Weigmann et al 1997;Florek et al 2005). Moreover, its expression is documented in nonepithelial cells such as photoreceptor and glial cells (Maw et al 2000;Yang et al 2008;Zacchigna et al 2009;Corbeil et al 2009).…”

“…Tissue expression proWling of the two prominin transcripts have revealed their diVerential expression in many organ systems with, nevertheless, some degree of intersection in the genitourinary system (Fargeas et al 2003a;Florek et al 2005;Jászai et al 2008). Although the metanephros is particularly enriched in both prominin molecules only prominin-1 expression has been addressed at the immunohistochemical level in this organ (Weigmann et al 1997;Florek et al 2005).…”

State-of-the-art technologies, current opinions and developments, and novel findings: news from the field of histochemistry and cell biology

“…A diVerential expression of prominin-1 and -2 was found in major cephalic exocrine glands of adult mice (Jaszai et al 2007). Prompted by the observation that the male reproductive system seems to be enriched in transcripts encoding for Prominin-1 and -2, Jaszai et al (2008) now investigated the spatial distribution of the proteins in distinct segments of this system in adult mice and in the human prostrate. By in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, the authors showed that prominin-2 was apparently expressed more abundantly than prominin-1 in all parts of the male murine gentiourinary tract analyzed, with the exception of the testis, and was the only prominin present in the urinary bladder epithelium.…”

“…Although prominin 1 is a well studied surface marker of somatic stem and progenitor cells (for review, see Jaszai et al 2008), the physiological function of the prominins is not clear. A diVerential expression of prominin-1 and -2 was found in major cephalic exocrine glands of adult mice (Jaszai et al 2007).…”

Extending the knowledge in histochemistry and cell biology

“…Jaszai et al (2008) characterized expression of prominin-1 and 2 along the adult male reproductive system and urinary bladder in male mice by ISH experiments. In contrast to tissues derived from epigonadal mesonephric tubules (i.e.…”