A murine stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA-2) is expressed on some murine SV40-transformed cells.

A stage-specific embryonic antigen-2 (SSEA-2) found on murine preimplantation embryos is maximally expressed on 4- to 8-cell stage embryos and is present in decreasing amounts of morulae and blastocysts. This antigenic determinant is also expressed on murine teratocarcinoma cells, sperm, and some, but not all, SV40-transformed mouse cell lines. Analysis of solubilized immunoprecipitates by SDS-gel electrophoresis indicates that this cell surface molecule is not the 54,000 m.w. protein shared by teratocarcinoma and SV40-transformed cell lines.