Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30118662›Full record

ArticleDevelopmental biology2018

The ERM family member Merlin is required for endometrial gland morphogenesis.

Erin Williams Lopez, Zer Vue, Russell R Broaddus, Richard R Behringer, Andrew B Gladden

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Developmental biology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 34% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Differential Localization of β-Catenin Protein in CTNNB1 Mutant Endometrial Cancers Results in Distinct Transcriptional Profiles.Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Epithelial morphogenesis in the perinatal mouse uterus.Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists · 2020
    Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Erin Williams LopezDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate Program of Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Zer VueDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Russell R BroaddusGraduate Program of Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Richard R BehringerDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate Program of Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Andrew B GladdenDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate Program of Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: agladden@mdanderson.org.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · US

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Fabien Delerue · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) ProgramR25GM056929 · NIGMS · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI PEREIRA, FRED A · 1998 to 2023
$12.4M
TRAINING PROGRAM IN MOLECULAR GENETICS OF CANCERT32CA009299 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI LOZANO, GUILLERMINA · 1985 to 2014
$4.7M
Molecular Genetics of Female Reproductive TractR01HD030284 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI BEHRINGER, RICHARD R · 1994 to 2013
$4.5M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672NCI NIH HHS T32 CA009299NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD030284NIGMS NIH HHS R25 GM056929
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Disruption of endometrial gland formation or function can cause female infertility. Formation of endometrial glands via tubulogenesis of luminal epithelial cells requires the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity and cell adhesion. The FERM domain-containing protein Merlin coordinates epithelial cell polarity and cell adhesion and is critical for epithelial tissue function in the skin and kidney. We now demonstrate a requirement for Merlin in endometrial gland development. Conditional deletion of Merlin in the endometrium results in female infertility caused by the absence of gland formation. Interestingly, we observed glandular epithelial markers within discrete groups of cells in the Merlin-deficient luminal epithelium. Wnt signaling, a pathway necessary for endometrial gland development is maintained in Merlin-deficient endometrium, suggesting the glandular fate program is active. Instead, we observe increased levels of apical actin and markers indicative of high membrane tension on the basal surface of the Merlin-deficient luminal epithelium. These findings suggest that the structural integrity of the luminal epithelium during gland formation is required for appropriate endometrial tubulogenesis and tissue function. Moreover, our work implicates Merlin-dependent regulation of mechanical tension in the proper formation of endometrial gland architecture and function.

Indexed as

AnimalsCell AdhesionCell PolarityDNA-Binding ProteinsEndometriumEpithelial CellsFemaleInfertility, FemaleIn Situ HybridizationMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMorphogenesisNeurofibromin 2Signal TransductionTranscription FactorsDNA-Binding ProteinsEtv5 protein, mouseNeurofibromin 2Transcription FactorsEndometriumGland morphogenesisMerlinNF2Tension

Identifiers

PMID30118662
PMCPMC12921682
OpenAlexW2885296322

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.