Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on August 25, 2005
Human Reproduction 2005 20(12):3532-3538; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei246
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
20/12/3532    most recent
dei246v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chong, W.S.
Right arrow Articles by Lau, T.K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chong, W.S.
Right arrow Articles by Lau, T.K.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org

Expression of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) isoforms in first trimester human placenta and embryonic tissues

W.S. Chong1, P.C. Kwan1, L.Y. Chan1, P.Y. Chiu1, T.K. Cheung2 and T.K. Lau1,3

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China and 2 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia

3 To whom the correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tzekinlau{at}cuhk.edu.hk

BACKGROUND: Divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein which mediates the proton-coupled transport of a variety of divalent metal ions. Two isoforms, which differ by the presence (DMT1-IRE) or absence (DMT1-nonIRE) of an iron-responsive element (IRE) in their 3’ untranslated region, are implicated in apical iron transport and endosomal iron transport respectively. Although the expression pattern of DMT1 isoforms is tissue specific in adult, data regarding its expression in embryonic tissues are lacking. METHODS: Semiquantitative RT–PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to study the mRNA and protein expression of both DMT1 isoforms in embryonic tissues between 8 and 14 weeks gestational age. RESULTS: DMT1-IRE and DMT1-nonIRE expressions were ubiquitous in embryonic tissues examined. In the lung, statistically significant correlations were found between the levels of DMT1 isoform expression and gestational age. In the placenta, DMT1-IRE was the predominantly expressed isoform. Both isoform proteins were localized in embryonic epithelial cellular membrane. CONCLUSION: Both DMT1 isoforms are ubiquitously expressed in embryonic tissues in the first trimester. Predominant DMT1-IRE isoform expression in placenta suggests an iron-regulatory mechanism reminiscent of that in the adult duodenum. Epithelial distributions of both DMT1 isoforms are associated with the absorptive or excretory functions of the expressed tissues.

Key words: divalent metal transporter 1/early pregnancy/fetal tissues/human placenta/metal transport


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ReproductionHome page
K. Mitko, S. E Ulbrich, H. Wenigerkind, F. Sinowatz, H. Blum, E. Wolf, and S. Bauersachs
Dynamic changes in messenger RNA profiles of bovine endometrium during the oestrous cycle
Reproduction, February 1, 2008; 135(2): 225 - 240.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.