The DSG2 Knockout MES-OV Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population derived from the immortalized mouse ovarian surface epithelial cell line MES-OV. This product provides a heterogeneous pool of cells with targeted disruption of the DSG2 gene, which encodes desmoglein-2, a critical calcium-dependent cell adhesion protein of desmosomes. The polyclonal format eliminates clonal selection bias and enables robust loss-of-function studies while better recapitulating the genetic variability found in tumor microenvironments.
The host cell line, MES-OV, is a widely used mouse ovarian surface epithelial cell model that retains key characteristics of the ovarian surface epithelium. These immortalized cells are directly relevant to ovulation physiology and epithelial ovarian cancer initiation, as the ovarian surface epithelium is a primary source of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The line??s stable epithelial phenotype and genetic tractability make it an ideal platform for studying the consequences of gene disruption in a biologically meaningful context.
DSG2 functions as a transmembrane component of desmosomes, mediating strong intercellular adhesion through interactions with armadillo proteins such as plakoglobin and plakophilin-2, and linking to desmoplakin and keratin intermediate filaments. Its expression is regulated upstream by transcription factors including p53, beta-catenin, and estrogen receptor alpha. Upon disruption of DSG2, desmosome assembly and cadherin-mediated adhesion are compromised, leading to redistribution of plakoglobin and beta-catenin, altered actin cytoskeleton organization, and aberrant Wnt/beta-catenin signaling due to beta-catenin stabilization and nuclear translocation.
In the MES-OV background, DSG2 knockout creates a physiologically relevant model to investigate how loss of desmosomal integrity contributes to ovarian surface epithelial dysfunction. This system is particularly valuable for dissecting mechanisms of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, a process critical for ovarian cancer metastasis, and for exploring how adhesion defects influence drug resistance by modulating cell survival pathways. The polyclonal knockout population mirrors the heterogeneity of in vivo tumor cell populations, offering a translational advantage for preclinical research.
These polyclonal knockout cells are suitable for a range of functional and expression assays, including Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, cell adhesion assays, wound healing assays, and flow cytometry. They support applications in ovarian cancer biology, cell adhesion research, and signaling pathway analysis, enabling investigation of desmosome-dependent regulation of Wnt/beta-catenin and cadherin networks. For further technical details or to request a quote, please contact Ascent Research.
