Developmental expression of mouse Follistatin-like 1 (Fstl1): Dynamic regulation during organogenesis of the kidney and lung

Follistatin-like 1 (Fstl1) is a distantly related homolog of the Activin and Bone Morphogenetic Protein antagonist Follistatin. Interestingly, this molecule also has homology with the extracellular matrix modifying protein BM-40/SPARC/osteonectin. Previous studies in chick have identified Fstl1 as a regulator of early mesoderm patterning, somitogenesis, myogenesis and neural development. In this study, we determine the developmental expression pattern of Fstl1 in the mouse. We find that Fstl1 is ubiquitously expressed in the early embryo, and that expression becomes regionalized later during development. In the majority of tissues, Fstl1 is strongly expressed in the mesenchymal component and excluded from the epithelium. Notable exceptions include the central nervous system, in which Fstl1 expression is entirely absent with the exception of the choroid plexi and floor plate, the lung, in which Fstl1 expression can be seen in airway epithelia and the kidney, in which collecting ducts and nascent nephron epithelia express the highest levels of Fstl1.