METHYLATION PROFILES OF CpG ISLAND: ANALYSIS OF RAT PLACENTAL CELLS BY RESTRICTION LANDMARK GENOMIC SCANNING

摘要

The giant cells are important as endocrine cells and a major source of placental hormones including members of prolactin/growth hormone family (Hirosawa et al., 1994; Shiota, et al., 1994; Iwatsuki et. al., 1996). The giant cells also play a role in preventing immunonogical rejection. Interesting feature of the giant cells is that they endoreduplicate their genomes by up to 100 or more-fold than diploid cells (Sherman, et al., 1972). The high content of DNA in one nucleus achieved by these cells make themselves unique among various phenotypes of mammalian cells.