Expression studies have implicated Fibronectin Leucine Rich Transmembrane protein 2 (FLRT2) in cranial neural crest cell migration and pre-chondrogenic cell condensation during craniofacial skeletogenesis. This aim of this study was to characterize the expression of FLRT2 and its relationship to the extracellular matrix (ECM) in ATDC5 chondroprogenitor cells. Immunofluorescence studies localized FLRT2 to the cell membrane as well as exracellularly, where it colocalized with fibronectin. FLRT2 was identified in the ATDC5-derived ECM after cell extraction. Further to its colocalization with fibronectin, FLRT2 associated with fibronectin-coated beads in cell cultures. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed that FLRT2 and fibronectin interact, either directly or indirectly. Blocking fibronectin fibril formation in ATDC5 cell cultures demonstrated a concomitant decrease in extracellular FLRT2 accumulation. It appears that FLRT2 may exist in both a membrane-bound and a shed form. Either or both of these forms may participate in cell-ECM interactions in cooperation with fibronectin or other ECM proteins.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/33428 |
| Date | 22 November 2012 |
| Creators | Flintoff, Kerry Anne |
| Contributors | Gong, Siew-Ging |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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