Differential distribution of mRNA for the α- and β-subunits of chorionic gonadotrophin in the implantation stage blastocyst of the marmoset monkey

Abstract

We studied the expression of mRNA encoding the alpha- and beta-subunits of marmoset chorionic gonadotrophin (mCG) in implantation stage blastocysts and in a trophoblastic cell line derived from such blastocysts. In this investigation in situ hybridization was carried out using digoxygenin-labelled riboprobes to localize the subunit transcripts. The trophoblastic cell line, known to secrete bioactive mCG, was used as a positive control. Marmoset uterine embryos were cultured to hatched blastocysts and following growth on Matrigel or plastic were processed for in situ hybridization at developmental stages ranging from 13-15 days post-conception. In serial sections mCG-beta mRNA was detected mainly in polar trophoblast. The mRNA for mCG-alpha was expressed more uniformly in polar and mural trophoblast. Transcripts for the beta-subunit were not expressed, or present as weak signals, in the inner cell mass (ICM) and endoderm. However, low levels of mRNA for mCG-alpha were detected in the ICM and visceral endoderm. We have concluded that mRNA for mCG-beta was primarily localized to patches of syncytiotrophoblast at the embryonic pole and sparsely distributed in mural trophoblast, while the transcripts for mCG-alpha were distributed more uniformly in differentiating cytotrophoblast and syncytium, and at much lower levels in ICM and early endoderm.