EXPRESSION PATTERN OF C-SIS, C-FOS AND C-JUN IN HUMAN PLACENTA AND EMBRYOFETAL ORGANS

The expression pattern of c-sis, c-fos and c-jun was investigated in p lacenta and embryofetal organ specimens from the first trimester. Nort hern analysis of the placentae showed c-sis transcripts and c-fos expr ession. Northern analysis of the same genes in embryofetal organs poin ted to the brain as the only organ where consistent transcriptional ac tivity could be observed. RT-PCR analysis of c-fos and c-jun in placen tae, staged at four different time periods in pregnancy, allowed to de tect the expected fragments in all cases. The same was true when c-fos and c-jun were analyzed at the 13th week of gestation in all the embr yofetal organs.