We investigated the mRNA expression of cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, syndecans and glypican, in the adult female monkey submandlbular gland using the reverse transcrlption-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Agarose gel electrephoresis of the PCR products ot the cDNA generated from RNA vvas carried out to demonstrate the expression of mRNA in syndecan-1, syndecan-2, syndecan-4 and glypican }n this study. In order to compare the mRNA expression level among the

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... heparan sulfate proteoglycans, we measured changes in the relatlve intensity of PCR products with increasing thermal cycle number. The expression levels were syndecan-4> syndecan-1, syndecan-2>glypican. Considering these results together with our previous report, we found that the cell-surtace heparan sulfate preteoggycans, syndecan-1, syndecan-2, syndecan-4 and glypican, are synthesized fin the monkey submandibular glands, and that their ectodomains are reieased into the extraceilular matrix. It was speculated that control ot the expression patterns of the cell-surface proteoglycans may regulate the cellular function and behavior in the submandibular gland.