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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2006; 114(10): 590-595
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-950499
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG · Stuttgart · New York

Expression of Eph Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and their Ligands in Human Granulosa Lutein Cells and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Y. Xu 1 , D. Zagoura 2 , C. Keck 3 , D. Pietrowski 4
  • 1Beijing University First Hospital, Beijing, China
  • 2University of Athens, School of Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Athens, Greece
  • 3PAN-Hospital, Division of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Cologne, Germany
  • 4University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Freiburg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: December 15, 2005 First decision: May 24, 2006

Accepted: May 24, 2006

Publication Date:
19 December 2006 (online)

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Abstract

Corpus luteum development is regulated by gonadotropins and accompanied by extremely rapid vascularization of the avascular granulosa cell compartiment by endothelial cells (EC). The proliferation of Granulosa cells (GC) and EC is a complex interplay and takes place in a spatially and temporarily coordinated manner. The erythropoietin-producing hepatoma amplified sequence (Eph) receptors and their ligands-the ephrins- are a recently detected family of membrane located protein tyrosine kinases which play a crucial role in the growth and development of nerve and blood vessel network. We report about the mRNA expression pattern of Ephs and their ligands in human GC, in human EC, and in carcinoma cell lines OvCar-3 and Hela. The mRNA of EphA4, EphA7, ephrinA4, ephrinB1 and ephrinB2 was detected in GC and EC, while EphA2 was expressed only in GC. The expression of various Ephs and ephrins did not change in GC after stimulation with human chorion gonadotropin. Our study analyzes for the first time the expression of the complete human Eph/ephriny-system in GC and in EC. The remarkable similarity between these two cell types supports the theory of a functional relationship of EC and GC. In addition, it was shown that hCG is not a major determinant of Eph/ephrin regulation in GC.

Key words

Eph - ephrin - granulosa cells - receptor tyrosine kinase

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Correspondence

Keck Christoph

Germany

Phone: +49 22 12776 229

Fax: +49 22 12776 611

Email: keck@fertilitycenter-koeln.de

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