Tissue interactions between epithelium and mesenchyme of urogenital and integumental origin

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Abstract
Trypsin‐separated epithelia and mesenchyme were prepared from the following urogenital and integumental tissues of embryonic mice: seminal vesicle, urogenital sinus, preputial gland, and back, snout, and plantar surface foot plate skin. These components were rejoined in control (homotypic) and experimental (heterotypic) recombinants and were subsequently grown for one to three weeks as intraocular grafts to adult male hosts. Grafts of intact rudiments provided additional control data.In heterotypic recombinants composed of urogenital epithelia (urogenital sinus or seminal vesicle) and integumental mesenchyme (back, snout, or plantar), the epithelium responded as if androgens were absent, i.e., urogenital sinus epithelium formed a keratinized structure, while seminal vesicle epithelium developed into a small tubule of columnar epithelium. On the other hand, plastic integumental epithelia (snout or plantar) was transformed by urogenital mesenchyme of the urogenital sinus or seminal vesicle into a glandular epithelium characteristic of the mesenchymal source. Similarly, the normally glandular preputial gland epithelium could be induced to form keratinized, hair‐bearing skin by back and snout skin dermis, and although preputial gland mesenchyme did not manifest inductive properties when associated with integumental mesenchyme, it was able to participate in typical skin differentiation.These data demonstrate (1) the importance of the mesenchyme in mediating epithelial response to androgens, (2) the stability of urogenital epithelia, (3) the plasticity of integumental epithelia, and (4) the inductive properties of urogenital and integumental mesenchyme.

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