Background: Of the thirteen active carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes, CA IX and XII have been linked to carcinogenesis. It has been suggested that these membrane-bound CAs participate in cancer cell invasion, which is facilitated by an acidic tumor cell environment. Since active cell migration is a characteristic feature of embryonic development, we set out to explore whether these isozymes are expressed in mouse embryos of different ages. The studies were focused on organogenesis stage.
Results: Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that both CA IX and XII are present in several tissues of the developing mouse embryo during organogenesis. Staining for CA IX revealed a relatively wide distribution pattern with moderate signals in the brain, lung, pancreas and liver and weak signals in the kidney and stomach. The expression pattern of CA XII in the embryonic tissues was also relatively broad, although the intensity of immunostaining was weak in most tissues. The CA XII-positive tissues included the brain, where the most prominent staining was seen in the choroid plexus, and the stomach, pancreas, liver and kidney.
Conclusion: Membrane-bound CA isozymes IX and XII are expressed in various tissues during mouse organogenesis. These enzymes may regulate ion and pH homeostasis within the developing embryo.