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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Placenta. 2011 Jan 22;32(Suppl 2):S130–S135. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2010.12.017

Table 1.

Characterized gene promoters effective in targeting trophoblast lineages in vivo

Gene Function/Expression Relevant promoter regions necessary for trophoblast-specific expression Relevant References
Adenosine deaminase Purine metabolizing enzyme; expressed in all mouse trophoblast subpopulations beginning at mid-gestation. 770-bp region situated 5.4 kb upstream of transcription start site; contains binding site for trophoblast-specific element binding protein. [9,10]
CYP19 Aromatase complex; converts androgens to estrogens; expressed in human, but not mouse placenta. The human promoter is active in the mouse placenta. 501-bp 5′-flanking region of placenta-specific Cyp19 exon I.1. [3032]
Eomesodermin Regulation of trophoblast lineage specification; expressed in TS cells and early trophoblast cells, primitive streak, telencephalon. 180-kb 5′-sequence on bacterial artificial chromosome sufficient to drive expression. [25]
Growth hormone releasing hormone Hypothalamic hormone that stimulates release of growth hormone; expressed by rodent placenta; expression commences at mid-gestation and continues increasing until term. 7.5-kb-5′ flanking region and sequences downstream to exon 1. [24]
Human chorionic somato-mammotropin Human growth hormone gene cluster; expressed in human syncytiotrophoblast at mid-gestation. No mouse homologue, but transcriptionally active in mice. Histone acetylation and differential protein binding within a remote locus control region 14–32 kb upstream of gene cluster. [2729]
Placental lactogen II (PL-II; Prl3b1) Member of expanded rodent prolactin-like protein superfamily; expressed by rodent trophoblast giant cells and in mice, spongiotrophoblast cells beginning at mid-gestation. 2019 to 1340 bp upstream of transcription start site; contains elements for GATA, Ets, and AP-2γ factor binding. [1214]
Renin Involved in regulation of blood volume and blood pressure; expressed in fetal adrenal gland, Wolffian duct, and trophoblast giant cells during mid-late pregnancy. 4-kb 5′-flanking region. [23]
Tpbpa (4311) Unknown function; expressed in junctional zone trophoblast. 340-bp region situated 3740 bp upstream of transcription start site. Contains E-box binding elements for basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor binding. [21,22]
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