Se. Stasko et Gf. Wagner, Possible roles for stanniocalcin during early skeletal patterning and joint formation in the mouse, J ENDOCR, 171(2), 2001, pp. 237-248
Stanniocalcin (STC) is a polypeptide hormone discovered first in fish and m
ore recently in mammals. In mammals, the gene is widely expressed and the h
ormone is, so far, known to be involved in regulating the transport of calc
ium or phosphate across retial and gut epithelia, and into neuronal cells.
Gene expression is also high during development, and in an earlier study we
mapped the temporal and spatial pattern of gene expression in the mouse ur
ogenital system. Our data suggested that STC probably acted as a signaling
molecule that was produced in mesenchyme cells and targeted to epithelial c
ell layers in both kidney and testes. Here we have examined STC mRNA and pr
otein distributions between develop in en tal stages E10.5 and E18.5 in the
axial and appendicular skeleton. In the axial skeleton, STC was transientl
y expressed in a rostral-caudal fashion during vertebral development protei
n appeared to be made in intervertebral disc mesenchyme cells and targeted
to vertebral hypertrophic and prehypertrophic chondrocytes. By stage E18.5,
the STC gene was active only in vertebral perichondrocytes. The pattern of
expression in the appendicular skeleton was equally striking. Early in dev
elopment, STC gene expression defined the initial lengths of bone primordia
. The gene was expressed in mesenchyme cells at either ends of precartilagi
nous condensations defining future long bones and the secreted protein was
targeted to the chondroblasts. Later on during joint formation, STC was hig
hly expressed in interzone cells that defined all future joints. After cavi
tation, STC gene expression was greatest in perichondrocytes lining the joi
nts. Underlying resting, proliferative and prehypertrophic chondrocytes app
eared to be the targets of STC both during and after cavitation, Therefore,
its pattern of expression was indicative of a role in early skeletal patte
rning and joint formation. Moreover, as occurs during urogenital developmen
t, it appeared that STC is made in undifferentiated mesenchyme cells and se
questered by those destined to differentiate.