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Epithelial immaturity and multiorgan failure in mice lacking epidermal growth factor receptor

Nature volume 376, pages 337–341 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

SINCE the discovery that epidermal growth factor (EGF) can accelerate opening of the eyelids1, the EGF receptor (EGF-R) has been extensively studied and is now considered to be a prototype tyrosine kinase receptor2. Binding of EGF or of transforming growth fact-or-a (TGF-α) or other related factors activates the receptor and induces cell proliferation and differentiation. Although it is not found on haematopoietic cells, the EGF-R is widely expressed in mammals and has been implicated in various stages of embryonic development3. Here we investigate the developmental and physiological roles of this receptor and its ligands by inactivating the gene encoding EGF-R. We find that EGF-R-/- mice survive for up to 8 days after birth and suffer from impaired epithelial development in several organs, including skin, lung and gastrointestinal tract.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Growth and Development, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Päivi J. Miettinen, Yume Phung & Rik Derynck

  2. Departments of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Päivi J. Miettinen, Yume Phung, Roger A. Pedersen, Zena Werb & Rik Derynck

  3. Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Juanito Meneses & Roger A. Pedersen

  4. Laboratory of Radiobiology and Environmental Health, Programs in, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Joel E. Berger, Roger A. Pedersen & Zena Werb

  5. Programs in Cell Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Rik Derynck

  6. Programs in Developmental Biology, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143-0640, USA

    Päivi J. Miettinen, Roger A. Pedersen, Zena Werb & Rik Derynck

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  1. Päivi J. Miettinen
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  2. Joel E. Berger
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Miettinen, P., Berger, J., Meneses, J. et al. Epithelial immaturity and multiorgan failure in mice lacking epidermal growth factor receptor. Nature 376, 337–341 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/376337a0

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