Browsing by Author "Macedo da Silva, Alysson"

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    Conceptus-derived Fibrinogen and its Implication in Equine Pregnancy
    (2017) Macedo da Silva, Alysson; Klein, Claudia; Wynne-Edwards, Katherine; Kastelic, John; MacPhee, Daniel
    The equine conceptus presents an extensive mobile stage from days 9 to 16 after ovulation, during which it becomes fixed to one of the uterine horns. Throughout mobility, the conceptus secretes fibrinogen (an integrin-binding ECM). We hypothesized that conceptus-derived fibrinogen is converted into fibrin and aids in fixation via integrin receptors. We determined that RGD-binding integrins are expressed in endometrial and embryonic/fetal cells and interact with fibrinogen. Moreover, endometrial and embryonic cells presented the machinery to convert fibrinogen into fibrin and maintain the fibrin network. Overall, we demonstrated that conceptus-derived fibrinogen is likely converted to fibrin at the embryo-maternal interface and mediates cell adhesion via RGD-binding integrins.