THE SH2-CONTAINING INOSITOL POLYPHOSPHATE 5-PHOSPHATASE, SHIP, IS EXPRESSED DURING HEMATOPOIESIS AND SPERMATOGENESIS

Ship is a recently identified SH2-containing inositol polyphosphate 5- phosphatase that has been implicated as an important signaling molecul e in cell-culture systems. To understand the physiologic function of S hip in vivo, we performed expression studies of Ship during mouse deve lopment. Results of this study demonstrate the expression of ship to b e in late primitive-streak stage embryos (7.5 days postcoitus [dpc]), when hematopoiesis is thought to begin, and the expression is restrict ed to the hematopoietic lineage in mouse embryo. In adult mice, Ship e xpression continues to be in the majority of cells from hematopoietic origin, including granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes, and is als o found in the spermatids of the testis. Furthermore, the level of Shi p expression is developmentally regulated during T-cell maturation, Th ese results suggest a possible role for Ship in the differentiation an d maintenance of the hematopoietic lineages and in spermatogenesis. (C ) 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.