Objective: To elucidate and categorize the murine placental hormones expressed across gestation, including the expression of hormones with previously undescribed roles.
Study design: Expression levels of all genes with known or predicted hormone activity expressed in two separate tissues, the placenta and maternal decidua, were assessed across a timecourse spanning the full lifetime of the placenta. Novel expression patterns were confirmed by in situ hybridization and protein level measurements.
Results: A combination of temporal and spatial information defines five groups that can accurately predict the patterns of uncharacterized hormones. Our analysis identified Secretin, a novel placental hormone that is expressed specifically by the trophoblast at levels many times greater than in any other tissue.
Conclusions: The characteristics of Secretin fit the paradigm of known placental hormones and suggest that it may play an important role during pregnancy.
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