Scripps VIVO scripps research logo

  • Index
  • Log in
  • Home
  • People
  • Organizations
  • Research
  • Events
Search form
As of April 1st VIVO Scientific Profiles will no longer updated for faculty, and the link to VIVO will be removed from the library website. Faculty profile pages will continue to be updated via Interfolio. VIVO will continue being used behind the scenes to update graduate student profiles. Please contact helplib@scripps.edu if you have questions.
How to download citations from VIVO | Alternative profile options

Ksa antigen ep-cam mediates cell-cell adhesion of pancreatic epithelial cells: Morphoregulatory roles in pancreatic islet development

Academic Article
uri icon
  • Overview
  • Identity
  • Additional Document Info
  • View All
scroll to property group menus

Overview

authors

  • Cirulli, V.
  • Crisa, L.
  • Beattie, G. M.
  • Mally, M. I.
  • Lopez, A. D.
  • Fannon, A.
  • Ptasznik, A.
  • Inverardi, L.
  • Ricordi, C.
  • Deerinck, T.
  • Ellisman, M.
  • Reisfeld, Ralph
  • Hayek, A.

publication date

  • March 1998

journal

  • Journal of Cell Biology  Journal

abstract

  • Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) are important mediators of cell-cell interactions and regulate cell fate determination by influencing growth, differentiation, and organization within tissues. The human pancarcinoma antigen KSA is a glycoprotein of 40 kD originally identified as a marker of rapidly proliferating tumors of epithelial origin. Interestingly, most normal epithelia also express this antigen, although at lower levels, suggesting that a dynamic regulation of KSA may occur during cell growth and differentiation. Recently, evidence has been provided that this glycoprotein may function as an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM). Here, we report that Ep-CAM exhibits the features of a morphoregulatory molecule involved in the development of human pancreatic islets. We demonstrate that Ep-CAM expression is targeted to the lateral domain of epithelial cells of the human fetal pancreas, and that it mediates calcium-independent cell-cell adhesion. Quantitative confocal immunofluorescence in fetal pancreata identified the highest levels of Ep-CAM expression in developing islet-like cell clusters budding from the ductal epithelium, a cell compartment thought to comprise endocrine progenitors. A surprisingly reversed pattern was observed in the human adult pancreas, displaying low levels of Ep-CAM in islet cells and high levels in ducts. We further demonstrate that culture conditions promoting epithelial cell growth induce upregulation of Ep-CAM, whereas endocrine differentiation of fetal pancreatic epithelial cells, transplanted in nude mice, is associated with a downregulation of Ep-CAM expression. In addition, a blockade of Ep-CAM function by KS1/4 mAb induced insulin and glucagon gene transcription and translation in fetal pancreatic cell clusters. These results indicate that developmentally regulated expression and function of Ep-CAM play a morphoregulatory role in pancreatic islet ontogeny.

subject areas

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Division
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Female
  • Fetus
  • Humans
  • Islets of Langerhans
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Pancreatic Ducts
  • Pregnancy
scroll to property group menus

Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0021-9525

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1083/jcb.140.6.1519

PubMed ID

  • 9508783
scroll to property group menus

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 1519

end page

  • 1534

volume

  • 140

issue

  • 6

©2022 The Scripps Research Institute | Terms of Use | Powered by VIVO

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Support