A Novel Mesoderm-Specific cDNA Isolated from a Mouse Embryonal Carcinoma Cell Line: (embryonal carcinoma cell/cDNA/in situ hybridization/mesoderm/mouse embryo).

A novel mesoderm-specific cDNA clone has been isolated by differential screening of cDNA library from an embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line MC12. The cDNA clone 121a is about 2.5 kb in length and apparently encodes a putative polypeptide of 335 amino acids which may be secreted or membrane anchored glycoprotein since it has a possible signal sequence and a potential N-linked glycosylation site. In situ hybridization using mouse embryos revealed that 121a expression was confined to mesoderm and its derivatives such as allantois, the mesodermal layer of amnion, chorion and yolk sac, somites, heart, etc. These findings suggest that 121 a may be essential for mesodermal differentiation or function, although nothing definite is known. Conservation of 121a homolog in mammals and even in Drosophila seems to support this presumption. Fluorescence in situ hybridization successfully localized 121a to B1 band of mouse chromosome 6.