Figure 3
Validation and network analysis of mammary mesenchyme microarray data. (A) ERα and TnC stain the mammary mesenchyme. Most mammary mesenchymal cells express Sparc, except for those directly adjacent to the bud epithelium. Dlk1 and CD248/Endosialin stain all mesenchymal cells. Cav1 and Tmeff2 are expressed at higher levels by distinct cells. Nrp2 appears to be expressed by neural cells. Scale bar is 50 μm. (B) qRT-PCR analysis of RNA from enzymatically separated mammary bud epithelium (MBE) and mammary mesenchyme (MM). Gene RNA levels are expressed relative to Actb levels. Error bars ± s.e.m. Validation of nine MM specific genes enriched expression when compared to the MBE. Tcf4 did not show population specific expression by this analysis. (C) A sub-module comprised of several highly interconnected nodes representing G protein coupled receptor signalling and cytokines forms part of the core network module of mammary primordial mesenchyme. This core network was generated using human orthologs of directly interacting genes characteristic of the mammary mesenchyme. Black lines represent protein-protein interactions. Nodes that have been shown to interact in complexes are connected together by yellow-green lines.