THROMBOMODULIN DISTRIBUTION DURING MURINE DEVELOPMENT

Thrombomodulin is a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in the regulat ion of clot formation. Previous work has shown that in the adult mouse , thrombomodulin expression is primarily located on the luminal surfac e of endothelial cells; whereas during development, thrombomodulin has been localized to the placental parietal endoderm, the neuroepitheliu m, head mesenchyme, lung bud, and atrium of Day 10.5 post coitum embry os. We examined the expression of thrombomodulin in the adult mouse an d throughout murine development from Day 7.5 to Day. 18.5 post coitum. The high expression of thrombomodulin in the lung bud, developing gon ads, leptomeninges, and the parietal endoderm in comparison to the exp ression levels in the adult organs suggest that thrombomodulin may pla y an important role in development.