DYSTROGLYCAN AND LAMININS - GLYCOCONJUGATES INVOLVED IN BRANCHING EPITHELIAL MORPHOGENESIS

Branching epithelial morphogenesis is crucial for the development of s everal organs, such as lung, submandibullar gland, mammary gland, toot h, pancreas, and kidney. During early embryogenesis, these organs are composed of a small epithelial rudiment surrounded by mesenchymal cell s. Interactions between the two tissue compartments induce growth and branching of the epithelium into the mesenchyme. In each tissue, the e pithelial branching has tissue-specific features, but there are many s imilarities both at the morphological and molecular level. Basement me mbrane components such as laminin have been implicated in the regulati on of epithelial morphogenesis. Here data are reviewed that suggest th at interactions between laminin-1 and other basement membrane componen ts and the cell surface are important for epithelial morphogenesis in the kidney, lung, and salivary gland.