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Genome-Wide Identification of Laminin Family Related to Follicular Pseudoplacenta Development in Black Rockfish ( Sebastes schlegelii). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810523. [PMID: 36142434 PMCID: PMC9504374 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As major elements of the basement membrane, laminins play a significant role in angiogenesis, migration, and adhesion of various cells. Sebastes schlegelii is a marine viviparous teleost of commercial importance. Previous research has reported abundant blood vessels and connective tissue in the ovary during gestation. In this study, 14 laminin genes of the α, β, and γ subfamilies from genomic data were identified based on zebrafish and human laminins, distributed on 9 chromosomes in S. schlegelii. Analysis of structural domains showed that coiled-coil regions and EGF domains existed in all laminin genes. Moreover, via qPCR, we found that the expression of laminin genes, including lama4, lama5, lamb4, lamc1, and lamc3, gradually increased from the phase III ovary stage and peaked in the early stage of gestation, especially lama4 and lama5 which showed dramatically increased expression at the blastula stage. Accordingly, in situ hybridization of lama4 was conducted. The results revealed that signals became stronger following the phase IV ovary stage, and the strongest signals were located on the follicular pseudoplacenta at the blastula stage. These results suggest that the high expression of laminin genes, especially lama4 after fertilization, may drive cell proliferation, migration, and tissue expansion in the S. schlegelii ovary and ultimately promote follicular pseudoplacenta formation.
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2
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Zhou C, Zhao W, Zhang S, Ma J, Sultan Y, Li X. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing reveals the key stages of cardiovascular development in zebrafish embryos. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:587. [PMID: 35964013 PMCID: PMC9375324 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08808-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The cardiovascular developmental process is a tightly regulated network involving multiple genes. The current understanding of the molecular mechanism behind cardiovascular development is insufficient and requires further research. Results Transcriptome sequencing of three developmental stages in zebrafish embryos was performed and revealed three key cardiovascular developmental stages. Then, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in cardiovascular development were screened out. The three developmental stages were 18 (T1), 24 (T2), and 42 h post fertilization (hpf) (T3), and the three stages were confirmed by detecting differences in expression between cardiomyocyte and endothelial marker genes (cmlc2, fli1) using in situ hybridization, which represents the characteristics of cardiovascular development. Thousands of DEGs were identified using transcriptome analysis. Of them, 2605 DEGs were in T1-vs-T2, including 2003 up-regulated and 602 down-regulated genes, 6446 DEGs were in T1-vs-T3, consisting of 4608 up-regulated and 1838 down-regulated genes, and 3275 DEGs were in T2-vs-T3, including 2420 up-regulated and 855 down-regulated genes. There were 644 common DEGs and 167 common five-fold higher differentially expressed genes (HDEGs) identified, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Significant differences was observed in the levels of gene expression among different developmental stages in multiple GO terms and KEGG pathways, such as cell migration to the midline involved in heart development, cardiovascular system development, circulatory system process for biological processes of GO terms; and cardiac muscle contraction, adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes for KEGG pathways. These results demonstrated that these three stages were important period for the development of the cardiovascular system. Lastly, we used quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to validate the reliability of RNA-sequencing by selecting 21 DEGs. Conclusions These results demonstrated that these three stages represented the important periods for cardiovascular system development of zebrafish and some candidate genes was obtained and provided a solid foundation for additional functional studies of the DEGs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08808-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chune Zhou
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Shuqiang Zhang
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Junguo Ma
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Yousef Sultan
- Department of Food Toxicology and Contaminants, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, 12622, Egypt
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China.
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3
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Faizi N, Casteels I, Termote B, Coucke P, De Baere E, De Bruyne M, Balikova I. High myopia and vitreal veils in a patient with Poretti- Boltshauser syndrome due to a novel homozygous LAMA1 mutation. Ophthalmic Genet 2022; 43:653-657. [PMID: 35535551 DOI: 10.1080/13816810.2022.2068045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nawid Faizi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ingele Casteels
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Termote
- Department of Radiology, Jessa Hospital Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Paul Coucke
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elfride De Baere
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marieke De Bruyne
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Irina Balikova
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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4
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Zebrafish Models of Autosomal Recessive Ataxias. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040836. [PMID: 33917666 PMCID: PMC8068028 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal recessive ataxias are much less well studied than autosomal dominant ataxias and there are no clearly defined systems to classify them. Autosomal recessive ataxias, which are characterized by neuronal and multisystemic features, have significant overlapping symptoms with other complex multisystemic recessive disorders. The generation of animal models of neurodegenerative disorders increases our knowledge of their cellular and molecular mechanisms and helps in the search for new therapies. Among animal models, the zebrafish, which shares 70% of its genome with humans, offer the advantages of being small in size and demonstrating rapid development, making them optimal for high throughput drug and genetic screening. Furthermore, embryo and larval transparency allows to visualize cellular processes and central nervous system development in vivo. In this review, we discuss the contributions of zebrafish models to the study of autosomal recessive ataxias characteristic phenotypes, behavior, and gene function, in addition to commenting on possible treatments found in these models. Most of the zebrafish models generated to date recapitulate the main features of recessive ataxias.
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5
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DeDreu J, Walker JL, Menko AS. Dynamics of the lens basement membrane capsule and its interaction with connective tissue-like extracapsular matrix proteins. Matrix Biol 2021; 96:18-46. [PMID: 33383103 PMCID: PMC7902460 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2020.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The lens, suspended in the middle of the eye by tendon-like ciliary zonule fibers and facing three different compartments of the eye, is enclosed in what has been described as the thickest basement membrane in the body. While the protein components of the capsule have been a subject of study for many years, the dynamics of capsule formation, and the region-specific relationship of its basement membrane components to one another as well as to other matrix molecules remains to be explored. Through high resolution confocal and super-resolution imaging of the lens capsule and 3D surface renderings of acquired z-stacks, our studies revealed that each of its basement membrane proteins, laminin, collagen IV, nidogen and perlecan, has unique structure, organization, and distribution specific both to the region of the lens that the capsule is located in and the position of the capsule within the eye. We provide evidence of basal membrane gradients across the depth of the capsule as well as the synthesis of distinct basement membrane lamella within the capsule. These distinctions are most prominent in the equatorial capsule zone where collagen IV and nidogen span the capsule depth, while laminin and perlecan are located in two separate lamellae located at the innermost and outermost capsule domains. We discovered that an extracapsular matrix compartment rich in the connective tissue-like matrix molecules fibronectin, tenascin-C, and fibrillin is integrated with the superficial surface of the lens capsule. Each matrix protein in this extracapsular zone also exhibits region-specific distribution with fibrils of fibrillin, the matrix protein that forms the backbone of the ciliary zonules, inserting within the laminin/perlecan lamella at the surface of the equatorial lens capsule.
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Affiliation(s)
- JodiRae DeDreu
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 564 Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States.
| | - Janice L Walker
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 564 Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States.
| | - A Sue Menko
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, 564 Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States.
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6
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Fabian L, Dowling JJ. Zebrafish Models of LAMA2-Related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (MDC1A). Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:122. [PMID: 32742259 PMCID: PMC7364686 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD; LAMA2-MD), also referred to as merosin deficient CMD (MDC1A), is a severe neonatal onset muscle disease caused by recessive mutations in the LAMA2 gene. LAMA2 encodes laminin α2, a subunit of the extracellular matrix (ECM) oligomer laminin 211. There are currently no treatments for MDC1A, and there is an incomplete understanding of disease pathogenesis. Zebrafish, due to their high degree of genetic conservation with humans, large clutch sizes, rapid development, and optical clarity, have emerged as an excellent model system for studying rare Mendelian diseases. They are particularly suitable as a model for muscular dystrophy because they contain at least one orthologue to all major human MD genes, have muscle that is similar to human muscle in structure and function, and manifest obvious and easily measured MD related phenotypes. In this review article, we present the existing zebrafish models of MDC1A, and discuss their contribution to the understanding of MDC1A pathomechanisms and therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacramioara Fabian
- Program for Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James J Dowling
- Program for Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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7
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Weatherbee BAT, Barton JR, Siddam AD, Anand D, Lachke SA. Molecular characterization of the human lens epithelium-derived cell line SRA01/04. Exp Eye Res 2019; 188:107787. [PMID: 31479653 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.107787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cataract-associated gene discovery in human and animal models have informed on key aspects of human lens development, homeostasis and pathology. Additionally, in vitro models such as the culture of permanent human lens epithelium-derived cell lines (LECs) have also been utilized to understand the molecular biology of lens cells. However, these resources remain uncharacterized, specifically regarding their global gene expression and suitability to model lens cell biology. Therefore, we sought to molecularly characterize gene expression in the human LEC, SRA01/04, which is commonly used in lens studies. We first performed short tandem repeat (STR) analysis and validated SRA01/04 LEC for its human origin, as recommended by the eye research community. Next, we used Illumina HumanHT-12 v3.0 Expression BeadChip arrays to gain insights into the global gene expression profile of SRA01/04. Comparative analysis of SRA01/04 microarray data was performed using other resources such as the lens expression database iSyTE (integrated Systems Tool for Eye gene discovery), the cataract gene database Cat-Map and the published lens literature. This analysis showed that SRA01/04 significantly expresses >40% of the top iSyTE lens-enriched genes (313 out of 749) across different developmental stages. Further, SRA01/04 also significantly expresses ~53% (168 out of 318) of cataract-associated genes in Cat-Map. We also performed comparative gene expression analysis between SRA01/04 cells and the previously validated mouse LEC 21EM15. To gain insight into whether SRA01/04 reflects epithelial or fiber cell characteristics, we compared its gene expression profile to previously reported differentially expressed genes in isolated mouse lens epithelial and fiber cells. This analysis suggests that SRA01/04 has reduced expression of several fiber cell-enriched genes. In agreement with these findings, cell culture analysis demonstrates that SRA01/04 has reduced potential to initiate spontaneous lentoid body formation compared to 21EM15 cells. Next, to independently validate SRA01/04 microarray gene expression, we subjected several candidate genes to RT-PCR and RT-qPCR assays. This analysis demonstrates that SRA01/04 supports expression of many key genes associated with lens development and cataract, including CRYAB, CRYBB2, CRYGS, DKK3, EPHA2, ETV5, GJA1, HSPB1, INPPL1, ITGB1, PAX6, PVRL3, SFRP1, SPARC, TDRD7, and VIM, among others, and therefore can be relevant for understanding the mechanistic basis of these factors. At the same time, SRA01/04 cells do not exhibit robust expression of several genes known to be important to lens biology and cataract such as ALDH1A1, COL4A6, CP, CRYBA4, FOXE3, HMX1, HSF4, MAF, MEIS1, PITX3, PRX, SIX3, and TRPM3, among many others. Therefore, the present study offers a rich transcript-level resource for case-by-case evaluation of the potential advantages and limitations of SRA01/04 cells prior to their use in downstream investigations. In sum, these data show that the human LEC, SRA01/04, exhibits lens epithelial cell-like character reflected in the expression of several lens-enriched and cataract-associated genes, and therefore can be considered as a useful in vitro resource when combined with in vivo studies to gain insight into specific aspects of human lens epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua R Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Archana D Siddam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Deepti Anand
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Salil A Lachke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA; Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
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8
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Hu B, Gao Y, Davies L, Woo S, Topczewski J, Jessen JR, Lin F. Glypican 4 and Mmp14 interact in regulating the migration of anterior endodermal cells by limiting extracellular matrix deposition. Development 2018; 145:dev.163303. [PMID: 30082271 DOI: 10.1242/dev.163303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
During embryogenesis, the germ layers, including the endoderm, undergo convergence and extension movements to narrow and elongate the body plan. In zebrafish, the dorsal migration of endodermal cells during gastrulation is controlled by chemokine signaling, but little is known about how they migrate during segmentation. Here, we show that glypican 4 (Gpc4), a member of the heparin sulfate proteoglycan family, is required for efficient migration of anterior endodermal cells during early segmentation, regulating Rac activation to maintain polarized actin-rich lamellipodia. An endoderm transplantation assay showed that Gpc4 regulates endoderm migration in a non-cell-autonomous fashion. Further analyses revealed that the impaired endoderm migration in gpc4 mutants results from increases in the expression and assembly of fibronectin and laminin, major components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Notably, we found that matrix metalloproteinase 14 (Mmp14a/b) is required for the control of ECM expression during endoderm migration, with Gpc4 acting through Mmp14a/b to limit ECM expression. Our results suggest that Gpc4 is crucial for generating the environment required for efficient migration of endodermal cells, uncovering a novel function of Gpc4 during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lauren Davies
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Stephanie Woo
- School of Natural Sciences, Merced, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95340, USA
| | - Jacek Topczewski
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin 20-093, Poland
| | - Jason R Jessen
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
| | - Fang Lin
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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9
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Song G, Lin D, Bao L, Jiang Q, Zhang Y, Zheng H, Gao Q. Effects of High Glucose on the Expression of LAMA1 and Biological Behavior of Choroid Retinal Endothelial Cells. J Diabetes Res 2018; 2018:7504614. [PMID: 29967796 PMCID: PMC6008893 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7504614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperglycemia is one of the main causes of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) characterized by thickening of the vascular basement membrane. Laminin alpha 1 (LAMA1) is a primary component of laminin, a major protein constituent of the basement membrane. In this study, we investigated the role of LAMA1 in the development of PDR. Retinal choroidal vascular endothelial cells (RF/6A line) were exposed to glucose at different concentrations (5 mM, 15 mM, 25 mM, and 35 mM) and analyzed for cell growth, migration, proliferation, and adhesion. LAMA1 expression was examined 24 and 48 h following glucose treatment using Western blotting, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. The results showed that the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of RF/6A cells were increased by high glucose, whereas LAMA1 expression was slightly higher at 15 mM but decreased at 25 mM and 35 mM glucose compared to control. Thus, the changes in the biological behavior of high glucose-exposed retinal vascular endothelial cells correspond to variations in LAMA1 expression, indicating a possibility for LAMA1 involvement in PDR development. Our findings suggest that LAMA1 may play a role in PDR and, thus, may serve as a potential target for DR diagnosis and/or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangwei Song
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Da Lin
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Licheng Bao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Qi Jiang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Yinan Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Haihua Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Qianying Gao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
- The Second School of Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
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10
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Samuelsson AR, Belvindrah R, Wu C, Müller U, Halfter W. β1-Integrin Signaling is Essential for Lens Fiber Survival. GENE REGULATION AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/117762500700100016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Integrins have been proposed to play a major role in lens morphogenesis. To determine the role of β1-integrin and its down-stream signaling partner, integrin linked kinase (ILK), in lens morphogenesis, eyes of WT mice and mice with a nestin-linked conditional knockout of β1-integrin or ILK were analyzed for defects in lens development. Mice, lacking the genes encoding the p1-integrin subunit ( Itgb1) or ILK ( Ilk), showed a perinatal degeneration of the lens. Early signs of lens degeneration included vacuolization, random distribution of lens cell nuclei, disrupted fiber morphology and attenuation and separation of the lens capsule. The phenotype became progressively more severe during the first postnatal week eventually leading to the complete loss of the lens. A more severe phenotype was observed in ILK mutants at similar stages. Eyes from embryonic day 13 β1-integrin-mutant embryos showed no obvious signs of lens degeneration, indicating that mutant lens develops normally until peri-recombination. Our findings suggest that β1-integrins and ILK cooperate to control lens cell survival and link lens fibers to the surrounding extracellular matrix. The assembly and integrity of the lens capsule also appears to be reliant on integrin signaling within lens fibers. Extrapolation of these results indicates a novel role of integrins in lens cell-cell adhesions as well as a potential role in the pathogenesis of congenital cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Samuelsson
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, 1402 E Biological Science Tower, Pittsburgh PA 15261
| | - Richard Belvindrah
- Department of Cell Biology and Institute for Childhood and Neglected Disease, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Chuanyue Wu
- Department of Pathology, 707 Scaife Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15261
| | - Uli Müller
- Department of Cell Biology and Institute for Childhood and Neglected Disease, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Willi Halfter
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, 1402 E Biological Science Tower, Pittsburgh PA 15261
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11
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Aose M, Linbo TH, Lawrence O, Senoo T, Raible DW, Clark JI. The occhiolino (occ) mutant Zebrafish, a model for development of the optical function in the biological lens. Dev Dyn 2017; 246:915-924. [PMID: 28422363 PMCID: PMC6800130 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zebrafish visual function depends on quality optics. An F3 screen for developmental mutations in the Zebrafish nervous system was conducted in wild-type (wt) AB Zebrafish exposed to 3 mM of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). RESULTS Mutant offspring, identified in an F3 screen, were characterized by a small pupil, resulting from retinal hypertrophy or hyperplasia and a small lens. Deficits in visual function made feeding difficult after hatching at approximately 5-6 days postfertilization (dpf). Special feeding conditions were necessary for survival of the occhiolino (occ) mutants after 6 dpf. Optokinetic response (OKR) tests measured defects in visual function in the occ mutant, although electroretinograms (ERGs) were normal in the mutant and wt. Consistent with the ERGs, histology found normal retinal structure in the occ mutant and wt Zebrafish. However, lens development was abnormal. Multiphoton imaging of the developmental stages of live embryos confirmed the formation of a secondary mass of lens cells in the developing eye of the mutant Zebrafish at 3-4 dpf, and laminin immunohistochemistry indicated the lens capsule was thin and disorganized in the mutant Zebrafish. CONCLUSIONS The occ Zebrafish is a novel disease model for visual defects associated with abnormal lens development. Developmental Dynamics 246:915-924, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamoto Aose
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Tor H Linbo
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Owen Lawrence
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Tadashi Senoo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - David W Raible
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - John I Clark
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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12
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Yao Y. Laminin: loss-of-function studies. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:1095-1115. [PMID: 27696112 PMCID: PMC11107706 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2381-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Laminin, one of the most widely expressed extracellular matrix proteins, exerts many important functions in multiple organs/systems and at various developmental stages. Although its critical roles in embryonic development have been demonstrated, laminin's functions at later stages remain largely unknown, mainly due to its intrinsic complexity and lack of research tools (most laminin mutants are embryonic lethal). With the advance of genetic and molecular techniques, many new laminin mutants have been generated recently. These new mutants usually have a longer lifespan and show previously unidentified phenotypes. Not only do these studies suggest novel functions of laminin, but also they provide invaluable animal models that allow investigation of laminin's functions at late stages. Here, I first briefly introduce the nomenclature, structure, and biochemistry of laminin in general. Next, all the loss-of-function mutants/models for each laminin chain are discussed and their phenotypes compared. I hope to provide a comprehensive review on laminin functions and its loss-of-function models, which could serve as a reference for future research in this understudied field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Yao
- College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA.
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13
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Blanco-Sánchez B, Clément A, Phillips JB, Westerfield M. Zebrafish models of human eye and inner ear diseases. Methods Cell Biol 2016; 138:415-467. [PMID: 28129854 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Eye and inner ear diseases are the most common sensory impairments that greatly impact quality of life. Zebrafish have been intensively employed to understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying eye and inner ear development. The zebrafish visual and vestibulo-acoustic systems are very similar to these in humans, and although not yet mature, they are functional by 5days post-fertilization (dpf). In this chapter, we show how the zebrafish has significantly contributed to the field of biomedical research and how researchers, by establishing disease models and meticulously characterizing their phenotypes, have taken the first steps toward therapies. We review here models for (1) eye diseases, (2) ear diseases, and (3) syndromes affecting eye and/or ear. The use of new genome editing technologies and high-throughput screening systems should increase considerably the speed at which knowledge from zebrafish disease models is acquired, opening avenues for better diagnostics, treatments, and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A Clément
- University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
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14
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Pickering J, Cunliffe VT, Van Eeden F, Borycki AG. Hedgehog signalling acts upstream of Laminin alpha1 transcription in the zebrafish paraxial mesoderm. Matrix Biol 2016; 62:58-74. [PMID: 27856309 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2016.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Laminin-111 (α1β1γ1) is a member of the Laminin family of extra-cellular matrix proteins that comprises 16 members, components of basement membranes. Laminin-111, one of the first Laminin proteins synthesised during embryogenesis, is required for basement membrane deposition and has essential roles in tissue morphogenesis and patterning. Yet, the mechanisms controlling Laminin-111 expression are poorly understood. We generated a zebrafish transgenic reporter line that reproduces faithfully the expression pattern of lama1, the gene encoding Laminin α1, and we used this reporter line to investigate lama1 transcriptional regulation. Our findings established that lama1 expression is controlled by intronic enhancers, including an enhancer directing expression in the paraxial mesoderm, anterior spinal cord and hindbrain, located in intron 1. We show that Hedgehog signalling is necessary and sufficient for lama1 transcription in the paraxial mesoderm and identify putative Gli/Zic binding sites that may mediate this control. These findings uncover a conserved role for Hedgehog signalling in the control of basement membrane assembly via its transcriptional regulation of lama1, and provide a mechanism to coordinate muscle cell fate specification in the zebrafish embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Pickering
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Vincent T Cunliffe
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Freek Van Eeden
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Anne-Gaëlle Borycki
- Bateson Centre, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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Bryan CD, Chien CB, Kwan KM. Loss of laminin alpha 1 results in multiple structural defects and divergent effects on adhesion during vertebrate optic cup morphogenesis. Dev Biol 2016; 416:324-37. [PMID: 27339294 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate eye forms via a complex set of morphogenetic events. The optic vesicle evaginates and undergoes transformative shape changes to form the optic cup, in which neural retina and retinal pigmented epithelium enwrap the lens. It has long been known that a complex, glycoprotein-rich extracellular matrix layer surrounds the developing optic cup throughout the process, yet the functions of the matrix and its specific molecular components have remained unclear. Previous work established a role for laminin extracellular matrix in particular steps of eye development, including optic vesicle evagination, lens differentiation, and retinal ganglion cell polarization, yet it is unknown what role laminin might play in the early process of optic cup formation subsequent to the initial step of optic vesicle evagination. Here, we use the zebrafish lama1 mutant (lama1(UW1)) to determine the function of laminin during optic cup morphogenesis. Using live imaging, we find, surprisingly, that loss of laminin leads to divergent effects on focal adhesion assembly in a spatiotemporally-specific manner, and that laminin is required for multiple steps of optic cup morphogenesis, including optic stalk constriction, invagination, and formation of a spherical lens. Laminin is not required for single cell behaviors and changes in cell shape. Rather, in lama1(UW1) mutants, loss of epithelial polarity and altered adhesion lead to defective tissue architecture and formation of a disorganized retina. These results demonstrate that the laminin extracellular matrix plays multiple critical roles regulating adhesion and polarity to establish and maintain tissue structure during optic cup morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase D Bryan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Chi-Bin Chien
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kristen M Kwan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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16
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Vilboux T, Malicdan MCV, Chang YM, Guo J, Zerfas PM, Stephen J, Cullinane AR, Bryant J, Fischer R, Brooks BP, Zein WM, Wiggs EA, Zalewski CK, Poretti A, Bryan MM, Vemulapalli M, Mullikin JC, Kirby M, Anderson SM, Huizing M, Toro C, Gahl WA, Gunay-Aygun M. Cystic cerebellar dysplasia and biallelic LAMA1 mutations: a lamininopathy associated with tics, obsessive compulsive traits and myopia due to cell adhesion and migration defects. J Med Genet 2016; 53:318-29. [PMID: 27095636 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Laminins are heterotrimeric complexes, consisting of α, β and γ subunits that form a major component of basement membranes and extracellular matrix. Laminin complexes have different, but often overlapping, distributions and functions. METHODS Under our clinical protocol, NCT00068224, we have performed extensive clinical and neuropsychiatric phenotyping, neuroimaging and molecular analysis in patients with laminin α1 (LAMA1)-associated lamininopathy. We investigated the consequence of mutations in LAMA1 using patient-derived fibroblasts and neuronal cells derived from neuronal stem cells. RESULTS In this paper we describe individuals with biallelic mutations in LAMA1, all of whom had the cerebellar dysplasia, myopia and retinal dystrophy, in addition to obsessive compulsive traits, tics and anxiety. Patient-derived fibroblasts have impaired adhesion, reduced migration, abnormal morphology and increased apoptosis due to impaired activation of Cdc42, a member of the Rho family of GTPases that is involved in cytoskeletal dynamics. LAMA1 knockdown in human neuronal cells also showed abnormal morphology and filopodia formation, supporting the importance of LAMA1 in neuronal migration, and marking these cells potentially useful tools for disease modelling and therapeutic target discovery. CONCLUSION This paper broadens the phenotypes associated with LAMA1 mutations. We demonstrate that LAMA1 deficiency can lead to alteration in cytoskeletal dynamics, which may invariably lead to alteration in dendrite growth and axonal formation. Estimation of disease prevalence based on population studies in LAMA1 reveals a prevalence of 1-20 in 1 000 000. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT00068224.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Vilboux
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA Division of Medical Genomics, Inova Translational Medicine Institute, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
| | - May Christine V Malicdan
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, Common Fund, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yun Min Chang
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Guo
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Patricia M Zerfas
- Diagnostic and Research Services Branch, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshi Stephen
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew R Cullinane
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Joy Bryant
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Roxanne Fischer
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Brian P Brooks
- Ophthalmic Genetics & Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Wadih M Zein
- Ophthalmic Genetics & Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Edythe A Wiggs
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher K Zalewski
- Audiology Unit, Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrea Poretti
- Section of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Melanie M Bryan
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Meghana Vemulapalli
- NIH Intramural Sequencing Center (NISC), National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - James C Mullikin
- NIH Intramural Sequencing Center (NISC), National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Martha Kirby
- Flow Cytometry Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stacie M Anderson
- Flow Cytometry Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Marjan Huizing
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Camilo Toro
- NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, Common Fund, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - William A Gahl
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, Common Fund, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Meral Gunay-Aygun
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Patel TR, Nikodemus D, Besong TM, Reuten R, Meier M, Harding SE, Winzor DJ, Koch M, Stetefeld J. Biophysical analysis of a lethal laminin alpha-1 mutation reveals altered self-interaction. Matrix Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Lens extrusion from Laminin alpha 1 mutant zebrafish. ScientificWorldJournal 2014; 2014:524929. [PMID: 24526906 PMCID: PMC3914655 DOI: 10.1155/2014/524929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We report analysis of the ocular lens phenotype of the recessive, larval lethal zebrafish mutant, lama1a69/a69. Previous work revealed that this mutant has a shortened body axis and eye defects including a defective hyaloid vasculature, focal corneal dysplasia, and loss of the crystalline lens. While these studies highlight the importance of laminin α1 in lens development, a detailed analysis of the lens defects seen in these mutants was not reported. In the present study, we analyze the lenticular anomalies seen in the lama1a69/a69 mutants and show that the lens defects result from the anterior extrusion of lens material from the eye secondary to structural defects in the lens capsule and developing corneal epithelium associated with basement membrane loss. Our analysis provides further insights into the role of the lens capsule and corneal basement membrane in the structural integrity of the developing eye.
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19
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Morris AC. The genetics of ocular disorders: insights from the zebrafish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 93:215-28. [PMID: 21932431 DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.20211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Proper formation of the vertebrate eye requires a precisely coordinated sequence of morphogenetic events that integrate the developmental contributions of the skin ectoderm, neuroectoderm, and head mesenchyme. Disruptions in this process result in ocular malformations or retinal degeneration and can cause significant visual impairment. The zebrafish is an excellent vertebrate model for the study of eye development and disease due to the transparency of the embryo, its ex utero development, and its amenability to forward genetic screens. This review will present an overview of the genetic methodologies utilized in the zebrafish, a description of several zebrafish models of congenital ocular diseases, and a discussion of the utility of the zebrafish for assessing the pathogenicity of candidate disease alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann C Morris
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
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20
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Phosphatidylinositol synthase is required for lens structural integrity and photoreceptor cell survival in the zebrafish eye. Exp Eye Res 2011; 93:460-74. [PMID: 21722635 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2011.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2011] [Revised: 05/04/2011] [Accepted: 06/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish lens opaque (lop) mutant was previously isolated in a genetic screen and shown to lack rod and cone photoreceptors and exhibit lens opacity, or cataract, at 7 days post-fertilization (dpf). In this manuscript, we provide four different lines of evidence demonstrating that the lop phenotype results from a defect in the cdipt (phosphatidylinositol (PI) synthase; CDP-diacylglycerol-inositol 3-phosphatidyltransferase) gene. First, DNA sequence analysis revealed that the lop mutant contained a missense mutation in the lop open reading frame, which yields a nonconservative amino acid substitution (Ser-111-Cys) within the PI synthase catalytic domain. Second, morpholino-mediated knockdown of the cdipt-encoded PI synthase protein phenocopied the cdipt(lop/lop) mutant, with abnormal lens epithelial and secondary fiber cell morphologies and reduced numbers of photoreceptors. Third, microinjection of in vitro transcribed, wild-type cdipt mRNA into 1-4 cell stage cdipt(lop/lop) embryos significantly reduced the percentage of larvae displaying lens opacity at 7 dpf. Fourth, a cdipt retroviral-insertion allele, cdipt(hi559), exhibited similar lens and retinal abnormalities and failed to complement the cdipt(lop) mutant phenotype. To determine the initial cellular defects associated with the cdipt mutant, we examined homozygous cdipt(hi559/hi559) mutants prior to gross lens opacification at 6 dpf. The cdipt(hi559/hi559) mutants first exhibited photoreceptor layer disruption and photoreceptor cell death at 3 and 4 dpf, respectively, followed by lens dismorphogenesis by 5 dpf. RT-PCR revealed that the cdipt gene is maternally expressed and continues to be transcribed throughout development and into adulthood, in a wide variety of tissues. Using an anti-zebrafish PI synthase polyclonal antiserum, we localized the protein throughout the developing eye, including the photoreceptor layer and lens cortical secondary fiber cells. As expected, the polyclonal antiserum revealed that the PI synthase protein was reduced in amount in both the cdipt(lop/lop) and cdipt(hi559/hi559) mutants. Furthermore, we used a heterologous yeast phenotypic complementation assay to confirm that the wild-type zebrafish cdipt allele encodes functional PI synthase activity. Taken together, the cdipt-encoded PI synthase is required for survival of photoreceptor cells and lens epithelial and secondary cortical fiber cells. These zebrafish cdipt alleles represent excellent in vivo genetic tools to study the role of phosphatidylinositol and its phosphorylated derivatives in lens and photoreceptor development and maintenance.
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MIP/Aquaporin 0 represents a direct transcriptional target of PITX3 in the developing lens. PLoS One 2011; 6:e21122. [PMID: 21698120 PMCID: PMC3117865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The PITX3 bicoid-type homeodomain transcription factor plays an important role in lens development in vertebrates. PITX3 deficiency results in a spectrum of phenotypes from isolated cataracts to microphthalmia in humans, and lens degeneration in mice and zebrafish. While identification of downstream targets of PITX3 is vital for understanding the mechanisms of normal ocular development and human disease, these targets remain largely unknown. To isolate genes that are directly regulated by PITX3, we performed a search for genomic sequences that contain evolutionarily conserved bicoid/PITX3 binding sites and are located in the proximity of known genes. Two bicoid sites that are conserved from zebrafish to human were identified within the human promoter of the major intrinsic protein of lens fiber, MIP/AQP0. MIP/AQP0 deficiency was previously shown to be associated with lens defects in humans and mice. We demonstrate by both chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay that PITX3 binds to MIP/AQP0 promoter region in vivo and is able to interact with both bicoid sites in vitro. In addition, we show that wild-type PITX3 is able to activate the MIP/AQP0 promoter via interaction with the proximal bicoid site in cotransfection experiments and that the introduction of mutations disrupting binding to this site abolishes this activation. Furthermore, mutant forms of PITX3 fail to produce the same levels of transactivation as wild-type when cotransfected with the MIP/AQP0 reporter. Finally, knockdown of pitx3 in zebrafish affects formation of a DNA-protein complex associated with mip1 promoter sequences; and examination of expression in pitx3 morphant and control zebrafish revealed a delay in and reduction of mip1 expression in pitx3-deficient embryos. Therefore, our data suggest that PITX3 is involved in direct regulation of MIP/AQP0 expression and that the alteration of MIP/AQP0 expression is likely to contribute to the lens phenotype in cataract patients with PITX3 mutations.
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22
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Volkmann BA, Zinkevich NS, Mustonen A, Schilter KF, Bosenko DV, Reis LM, Broeckel U, Link BA, Semina EV. Potential novel mechanism for Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome: deletion of a distant region containing regulatory elements of PITX2. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011; 52:1450-9. [PMID: 20881290 PMCID: PMC3101680 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.10-6060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2010] [Revised: 08/23/2010] [Accepted: 09/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Mutations in PITX2 are associated with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), which involves ocular, dental, and umbilical abnormalities. Identification of cis-regulatory elements of PITX2 is important to better understand the mechanisms of disease. METHODS Conserved noncoding elements surrounding PITX2/pitx2 were identified and examined through transgenic analysis in zebrafish; expression pattern was studied by in situ hybridization. Patient samples were screened for deletion/duplication of the PITX2 upstream region using arrays and probes. RESULTS Zebrafish pitx2 demonstrates conserved expression during ocular and craniofacial development. Thirteen conserved noncoding sequences positioned within a gene desert as far as 1.1 Mb upstream of the human PITX2 gene were identified; 11 have enhancer activities consistent with pitx2 expression. Ten elements mediated expression in the developing brain, four regions were active during eye formation, and two sequences were associated with craniofacial expression. One region, CE4, located approximately 111 kb upstream of PITX2, directed a complex pattern including expression in the developing eye and craniofacial region, the classic sites affected in ARS. Screening of ARS patients identified an approximately 7600-kb deletion that began 106 to 108 kb upstream of the PITX2 gene, leaving PITX2 intact while removing regulatory elements CE4 to CE13. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest the presence of a complex distant regulatory matrix within the gene desert located upstream of PITX2 with an essential role in its activity and provides a possible mechanism for the previous reports of ARS in patients with balanced translocations involving the 4q25 region upstream of PITX2 and the current patient with an upstream deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany A. Volkmann
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
- the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and
| | | | - Aki Mustonen
- the Department of Clinical Genetics, Oulu University Hospital, OYS, Finland
| | - Kala F. Schilter
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
- the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and
| | - Dmitry V. Bosenko
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
| | - Linda M. Reis
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
| | - Ulrich Broeckel
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
| | - Brian A. Link
- the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and
| | - Elena V. Semina
- From the Department of Pediatrics and Children's Research Institute and
- the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and
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Bibliowicz J, Tittle RK, Gross JM. Toward a better understanding of human eye disease insights from the zebrafish, Danio rerio. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2011; 100:287-330. [PMID: 21377629 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-384878-9.00007-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Visual impairment and blindness is widespread across the human population, and the development of therapies for ocular pathologies is of high priority. The zebrafish represents a valuable model organism for studying human ocular disease; it is utilized in eye research to understand underlying developmental processes, to identify potential causative genes for human disorders, and to develop therapies. Zebrafish eyes are similar in morphology, physiology, gene expression, and function to human eyes. Furthermore, zebrafish are highly amenable to laboratory research. This review outlines the use of zebrafish as a model for human ocular diseases such as colobomas, glaucoma, cataracts, photoreceptor degeneration, as well as dystrophies of the cornea and retinal pigmented epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Bibliowicz
- University of Texas at Austin, Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Austin, Texas, USA
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Rozario T, DeSimone DW. The extracellular matrix in development and morphogenesis: a dynamic view. Dev Biol 2010; 341:126-40. [PMID: 19854168 PMCID: PMC2854274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 896] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2009] [Revised: 10/16/2009] [Accepted: 10/17/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is synthesized and secreted by embryonic cells beginning at the earliest stages of development. Our understanding of ECM composition, structure and function has grown considerably in the last several decades and this knowledge has revealed that the extracellular microenvironment is critically important for cell growth, survival, differentiation and morphogenesis. ECM and the cellular receptors that interact with it mediate both physical linkages with the cytoskeleton and the bidirectional flow of information between the extracellular and intracellular compartments. This review considers the range of cell and tissue functions attributed to ECM molecules and summarizes recent findings specific to key developmental processes. The importance of ECM as a dynamic repository for growth factors is highlighted along with more recent studies implicating the 3-dimensional organization and physical properties of the ECM as it relates to cell signaling and the regulation of morphogenetic cell behaviors. Embryonic cell and tissue generated forces and mechanical signals arising from ECM adhesion represent emerging areas of interest in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Rozario
- Department of Cell Biology and the Morphogenesis and Regenerative Medicine Institute, University of Virginia, PO Box 800732, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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Schonthaler HB, Franz-Odendaal TA, Hodel C, Gehring I, Geisler R, Schwarz H, Neuhauss SCF, Dahm R. The zebrafish mutant bumper shows a hyperproliferation of lens epithelial cells and fibre cell degeneration leading to functional blindness. Mech Dev 2010; 127:203-19. [PMID: 20117205 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2010.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2009] [Revised: 01/25/2010] [Accepted: 01/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The development of the eye lens is one of the classical paradigms of induction during embryonic development in vertebrates. But while there have been numerous studies aimed at discovering the genetic networks controlling early lens development, comparatively little is known about later stages, including the differentiation of secondary lens fibre cells. The analysis of mutant zebrafish isolated in forward genetic screens is an important way to investigate the roles of genes in embryogenesis. In this study we describe the zebrafish mutant bumper (bum), which shows a transient, tumour-like hyperproliferation of the lens epithelium as well as a progressively stronger defect in secondary fibre cell differentiation, which results in a significantly reduced lens size and ectopic location of the lens within the neural retina. Interestingly, the initial hyperproliferation of the lens epithelium in bum spontaneously regresses, suggesting this mutant as a valuable model to study the molecular control of tumour progression/suppression. Behavioural analyses demonstrate that, despite a morphologically normal retina, larval and adult bum(-/-) zebrafish are functionally blind. We further show that these fish have defects in their craniofacial skeleton with normal but delayed formation of the scleral ossicles within the eye, several reduced craniofacial bones resulting in an abnormal skull shape, and asymmetric ectopic bone formation within the mandible. Genetic mapping located the mutation in bum to a 4cM interval on chromosome 7 with the closest markers located at 0.2 and 0cM, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helia B Schonthaler
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department of Genetics, Spemannstr. 35, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Edwards MM, Mammadova-Bach E, Alpy F, Klein A, Hicks WL, Roux M, Simon-Assmann P, Smith RS, Orend G, Wu J, Peachey NS, Naggert JK, Lefebvre O, Nishina PM. Mutations in Lama1 disrupt retinal vascular development and inner limiting membrane formation. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:7697-711. [PMID: 20048158 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.069575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Neuromutagenesis Facility at the Jackson Laboratory generated a mouse model of retinal vasculopathy, nmf223, which is characterized clinically by vitreal fibroplasia and vessel tortuosity. nmf223 homozygotes also have reduced electroretinogram responses, which are coupled histologically with a thinning of the inner nuclear layer. The nmf223 locus was mapped to chromosome 17, and a missense mutation was identified in Lama1 that leads to the substitution of cysteine for a tyrosine at amino acid 265 of laminin alpha1, a basement membrane protein. Despite normal localization of laminin alpha1 and other components of the inner limiting membrane, a reduced integrity of this structure was suggested by ectopic cells and blood vessels within the vitreous. Immunohistochemical characterization of nmf223 homozygous retinas demonstrated the abnormal migration of retinal astrocytes into the vitreous along with the persistence of hyaloid vasculature. The Y265C mutation significantly reduced laminin N-terminal domain (LN) interactions in a bacterial two-hybrid system. Therefore, this mutation could affect interactions between laminin alpha1 and other laminin chains. To expand upon these findings, a Lama1 null mutant, Lama1(tm1.1Olf), was generated that exhibits a similar but more severe retinal phenotype than that seen in nmf223 homozygotes. The increased severity of the Lama1 null mutant phenotype is probably due to the complete loss of the inner limiting membrane in these mice. This first report of viable Lama1 mouse mutants emphasizes the importance of this gene in retinal development. The data presented herein suggest that hypomorphic mutations in human LAMA1 could lead to retinal disease.
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Skarie JM, Link BA. FoxC1 is essential for vascular basement membrane integrity and hyaloid vessel morphogenesis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2009; 50:5026-34. [PMID: 19458328 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.09-3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Alterations in FOXC1 dosage lead to a spectrum of highly penetrant, ocular anterior segment dysgenesis phenotypes. The most serious outcome is the development of glaucoma, which occurs in 50% to 75% of patients. Therefore, the need to identify specific pathways and genes that interact with FOXC1 to promote glaucoma is great. In this study, the authors investigated the loss of foxC1 in the zebrafish to characterize phenotypes and gene interactions that may impact glaucoma pathogenesis. METHODS Morpholino knockdown in zebrafish, RNA and protein marker analyses, transgenic reporter lines, and angiography, along with histology and transmission electron microscopy, were used to study foxC1 function and gene interactions. RESULTS Zebrafish foxC1 genes were expressed dynamically in the developing vasculature and periocular mesenchyme during development. Multiple ocular and vascular defects were found after the knockdown of foxC1. Defects in the hyaloid vasculature, arteriovenous malformations, and coarctation of the aorta were observed with maximal depletion of foxC1. Partial loss of foxC1 resulted in CNS and ocular hemorrhages, defects in intersegmental vessel patterning, and increased vascular permeability. To investigate the basis for these disruptions, the ultrastructure of foxC1-depleted hyaloid vascular cells was studied. These experiments, along with laminin-111 immunoreactivity, revealed disruptions in basement membrane integrity. Finally, codepletion of laminin alpha-1 and foxC1 uncovered a genetic interaction between these genes during development. CONCLUSIONS Genetic interactions between FOXC1 and basement membrane components influence vascular stability and may impact glaucoma development and increase stroke risk in FOXC1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Skarie
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA
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Palasz AT, Breña PB, De la Fuente J, Gutiérrez-Adán A. The effect of different zwitterionic buffers and PBS used for out-of-incubator procedures during standard in vitro embryo production on development, morphology and gene expression of bovine embryos. Theriogenology 2009; 70:1461-70. [PMID: 18675448 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.06.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2007] [Revised: 06/11/2008] [Accepted: 06/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The effect of the zwitterionic buffers HEPES, TES and MOPS and of PBS used for out-of-incubator procedures during standard in vitro embryo production on bovine oocytes and embryo development, morphology and on the expression patterns of eight selected genes: Fgf-4, Lama1, Ube2a, Gsta4, Il6, Sod1, Prss11 and Hspb1, was evaluated. All buffers were prepared at a concentration of 10 mM in TALP medium, with the exception of PBS. The total time of oocyte/embryo exposure to each buffer was approximately 41 min. The cleavage rates and number of embryos that developed to > or =8 cells at day 4 were no different among the buffers tested, however, more blastocysts developed at day 7, 8 and 9 in HEPES and MOPS treatments than in PBS and TES (P<0.05). No difference between buffers in total and apoptotic cell number was found. Except for Hspb1 and Ube2a genes, the levels of expression of the six remaining transcripts were higher in in vivo than in in vitro embryos irrespective of buffer used (P<0.05). In addition, higher expression of Hspb1 and lower expression of Ube2a and Lama1 were observed in PBS and TES than in MOPS and HEPES treatments (P<0.05). Expression of Fgf-4 and Gsta4 in the in vitro embryos was lower in PBS than in the remaining three buffers (P<0.05) and the level of expression of the Il6 gene was not affected by any buffer tested but was lower in in vitro than in in vivo derived embryos. Expression of both Sod1 and Prss11 genes in MOPS were at the level of the in vivo embryos. These results showed that the choice of buffer and short exposure time of approximately 41 min, affects mRNA expression of in vitro produced bovine embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Palasz
- Ministry of Science and Innovation, Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Madrid, Spain.
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30
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Danysh BP, Duncan MK. The lens capsule. Exp Eye Res 2008; 88:151-64. [PMID: 18773892 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2008.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2008] [Revised: 07/24/2008] [Accepted: 08/01/2008] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The lens capsule is a modified basement membrane that completely surrounds the ocular lens. It is known that this extracellular matrix is important for both the structure and biomechanics of the lens in addition to providing informational cues to maintain lens cell phenotype. This review covers the development and structure of the lens capsule, lens diseases associated with mutations in extracellular matrix genes and the role of the capsule in lens function including those proposed for visual accommodation, selective permeability to infectious agents, and cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Danysh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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31
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Walker J, Menko AS. Integrins in lens development and disease. Exp Eye Res 2008; 88:216-25. [PMID: 18671967 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2008.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2008] [Revised: 06/19/2008] [Accepted: 06/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Integrins are the major cell surface receptors for proteins in the extracellular matrix. These receptors form major cell signaling centers that are bidirectional, communicating messages between the cell and its environment. They are a large receptor family, with members well-known to regulate cellular processes essential to both development and disease. In this review we examine the literature regarding integrins in the lens. Here we cover integrin function in lens cell differentiation, in the development of the lens and in protection of the lens epithelial cell phenotype. In addition, we analyze the role of integrins in the progression of lens fibrotic diseases, focusing particularly on integrin regulation of TGFbeta signaling pathways in posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice Walker
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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32
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Thornhill P, Bassett D, Lochmüller H, Bushby K, Straub V. Developmental defects in a zebrafish model for muscular dystrophies associated with the loss of fukutin-related protein (FKRP). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 131:1551-61. [PMID: 18477595 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awn078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
A number of muscular dystrophies are associated with the defective glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan and many are now known to result from mutations in a number of genes encoding putative or known glycosyltransferases. These diseases include severe forms of congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) such as Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD), Muscle-Eye-Brain disease (MEB) and Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS), which are associated with brain and eye abnormalities. The defective glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan in these disorders leads to a failure of alpha-dystroglycan to bind to extra-cellular matrix components and previous attempts to model these disorders have shown that the generation of fukutin- and Pomt1-deficient knockout mice results in early embryonic lethality due to basement membrane defects. We have used the zebrafish as an animal model to investigate the pathological consequences of downregulating the expression of the putative glycosyltransferase gene fukutin-related protein (FKRP) on embryonic development. We have found that downregulating FKRP in the zebrafish results in embryos which develop a range of abnormalities reminiscent of the developmental defects observed in human muscular dystrophies associated with mutations in FKRP. FKRP morphant embryos showed a spectrum of phenotypic severity involving alterations in somitic structure and muscle fibre organization as well as defects in developing neuronal structures and eye morphology. The pathological phenotype was found to correlate with a reduction in alpha-dystroglycan glycosylation and reduced laminin binding. Further characterization of the developmental processes affected in FKRP morphant embryos may lead to a better understanding of the pathological spectrum observed in muscular dystrophies associated with mutations in the human FKRP gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Thornhill
- Institute of Human Genetics, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK
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33
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Posner M, Hawke M, LaCava C, Prince CJ, Bellanco NR, Corbin RW. A proteome map of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) lens reveals similarities between zebrafish and mammalian crystallin expression. Mol Vis 2008; 14:806-14. [PMID: 18449354 PMCID: PMC2358921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2008] [Accepted: 04/06/2008] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize the crystallin content of the zebrafish lens using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). These data will facilitate future investigations of vertebrate lens development, function, and disease. METHODS Adult zebrafish lens proteins were separated by 2-DE, and the resulting spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The relative proportion of each crystallin was quantified by image analysis, and phosphospecific staining was used to identify phosphorylated alpha-crystallins. The proportion of each crystallin in the soluble and insoluble fraction of the lens was also determined by resolving these lens fractions separately by 2-DE. RESULTS alpha-, beta-, and gamma-crystallins comprised 7.8, 36.0, and 47.2% of the zebrafish lens, respectively. While the alpha-crystallin content of the zebrafish lens is less than the amounts found in the human lens, the ratio of alphaA:alphaB crystallin is very similar. The phosphorylation pattern of zebrafish alphaA-crystallins was also similar to that of humans. The most abundant gamma-crystallins were the diverse gammaMs, comprising 30.5% of the lens. Intact zebrafish crystallins were generally more common in the soluble fraction with truncated versions more common in the insoluble fraction. CONCLUSIONS While the total alpha- and gamma-crystallin content of the zebrafish lens differs from that of humans, similarities in alpha-crystallin ratios and modifications and a link between crystallin truncation and insolubility suggest that the zebrafish is a suitable model for the vertebrate lens. The proteome map provided here will be of value to future studies of lens development, function, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason Posner
- Department of Biology, Ashland University, Ashland, OH
| | - Molly Hawke
- Department of Biology, Ashland University, Ashland, OH
| | - Carrie LaCava
- Department of Biology, Ashland University, Ashland, OH
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Moulton HM, Moulton JD. Antisense Morpholino Oligomers and Their Peptide Conjugates. THERAPEUTIC OLIGONUCLEOTIDES 2008. [DOI: 10.1039/9781847558275-00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hong M. Moulton
- AVI BioPharma Inc. 4575 SW Research Way Corvallis OR 97333 USA
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35
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Wolman MA, Sittaramane VK, Essner JJ, Yost HJ, Chandrasekhar A, Halloran MC. Transient axonal glycoprotein-1 (TAG-1) and laminin-alpha1 regulate dynamic growth cone behaviors and initial axon direction in vivo. Neural Dev 2008; 3:6. [PMID: 18289389 PMCID: PMC2278142 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-3-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2007] [Accepted: 02/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND How axon guidance signals regulate growth cone behavior and guidance decisions in the complex in vivo environment of the central nervous system is not well understood. We have taken advantage of the unique features of the zebrafish embryo to visualize dynamic growth cone behaviors and analyze guidance mechanisms of axons emerging from a central brain nucleus in vivo. RESULTS We investigated axons of the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fascicle (nucMLF), which are the first axons to extend in the zebrafish midbrain. Using in vivo time-lapse imaging, we show that both positive axon-axon interactions and guidance by surrounding tissue control initial nucMLF axon guidance. We further show that two guidance molecules, transient axonal glycoprotein-1 (TAG-1) and laminin-alpha1, are essential for the initial directional extension of nucMLF axons and their subsequent convergence into a tight fascicle. Fixed tissue analysis shows that TAG-1 knockdown causes errors in nucMLF axon pathfinding similar to those seen in a laminin-alpha1 mutant. However, in vivo time-lapse imaging reveals that while some defects in dynamic growth cone behavior are similar, there are also defects unique to the loss of each gene. Loss of either TAG-1 or laminin-alpha1 causes nucMLF axons to extend into surrounding tissue in incorrect directions and reduces axonal growth rate, resulting in stunted nucMLF axons that fail to extend beyond the hindbrain. However, defects in axon-axon interactions were found only after TAG-1 knockdown, while defects in initial nucMLF axon polarity and excessive branching of nucMLF axons occurred only in laminin-alpha1 mutants. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate how two guidance cues, TAG-1 and laminin-alpha1, influence the behavior of growth cones during axon pathfinding in vivo. Our data suggest that TAG-1 functions to allow growth cones to sense environmental cues and mediates positive axon-axon interactions. Laminin-alpha1 does not regulate axon-axon interactions, but does influence neuronal polarity and directional guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A Wolman
- Department of Zoology, and Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
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36
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Samuelsson AR, Belvindrah R, Wu C, Müller U, Halfter W. Beta1-integrin signaling is essential for lens fiber survival. GENE REGULATION AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2007; 1:177-89. [PMID: 19936087 PMCID: PMC2759130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Integrins have been proposed to play a major role in lens morphogenesis. To determine the role of beta1-integrin and its down-stream signaling partner, integrin linked kinase (ILK), in lens morphogenesis, eyes of WT mice and mice with a nestin-linked conditional knockout of beta1-integrin or ILK were analyzed for defects in lens development. Mice, lacking the genes encoding the beta1-integrin subunit (Itgb1) or ILK (Ilk), showed a perinatal degeneration of the lens. Early signs of lens degeneration included vacuolization, random distribution of lens cell nuclei, disrupted fiber morphology and attenuation and separation of the lens capsule. The phenotype became progressively more severe during the first postnatal week eventually leading to the complete loss of the lens. A more severe phenotype was observed in ILK mutants at similar stages. Eyes from embryonic day 13 beta1-integrin-mutant embryos showed no obvious signs of lens degeneration, indicating that mutant lens develops normally until peri-recombination. Our findings suggest that beta1-integrins and ILK cooperate to control lens cell survival and link lens fibers to the surrounding extracellular matrix. The assembly and integrity of the lens capsule also appears to be reliant on integrin signaling within lens fibers. Extrapolation of these results indicates a novel role of integrins in lens cell-cell adhesions as well as a potential role in the pathogenesis of congenital cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Samuelsson
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, 1402 E Biological Science Tower, Pittsburgh PA 15261,Correspondence: Andrew R. Samuelsson, Tel: (412) 648 9424; Fax: (412) 648 1441;
| | - Richard Belvindrah
- Department of Cell Biology and Institute for Childhood and Neglected Disease, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Chuanyue Wu
- Department of Pathology, 707 Scaife Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15261
| | - Uli Müller
- Department of Cell Biology and Institute for Childhood and Neglected Disease, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Willi Halfter
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, 1402 E Biological Science Tower, Pittsburgh PA 15261
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37
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Webb AE, Sanderford J, Frank D, Talbot WS, Driever W, Kimelman D. Laminin alpha5 is essential for the formation of the zebrafish fins. Dev Biol 2007; 311:369-82. [PMID: 17919534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2007] [Revised: 08/17/2007] [Accepted: 08/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate fin fold, the presumptive evolutionary antecedent of the paired fins, consists of two layers of epidermal cells extending dorsally and ventrally over the trunk and tail of the embryo, facilitating swimming during the embryonic and larval stages. Development of the fin fold requires dramatic changes in cell shape and adhesion during early development, but the proteins involved in this process are completely unknown. In a screen of mutants defective in fin fold morphogenesis, we identified a mutant with a severe fin fold defect, which also displays malformed pectoral fins. We find that the cause of the defect is a non-sense mutation in the zebrafish lama5 gene that truncates laminin alpha5 before the C-terminal laminin LG domains, thereby preventing laminin alpha5 from interacting with its cell surface receptors. Laminin is mislocalized in this mutant, as are the membrane-associated proteins, actin and beta-catenin, that normally form foci within the fin fold. Ultrastructural analysis revealed severe morphological abnormalities and defects in cell-cell adhesion within the epidermis of the developing fin fold at 36 hpf, resulting in an epidermal sheet that can not extend away from the body. Examining the pectoral fins, we find that the lama5 mutant is the first zebrafish mutant identified in which the pectoral fins fail to make the transition from an apical epidermal ridge to an apical fold, a transformation that is essential for pectoral fin morphogenesis. We propose that laminin alpha5, which is concentrated at the distal ends of the fins, organizes the distal cells of the fin fold and pectoral fins in order to promote the morphogenesis of the epidermis. The lama5 mutant provides novel insight into the role of laminins in the zebrafish epidermis, and the molecular mechanisms driving fin formation in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Webb
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Box 357350, Seattle, WA 98195-7350, USA
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38
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Gould DB, Marchant JK, Savinova OV, Smith RS, John SWM. Col4a1 mutation causes endoplasmic reticulum stress and genetically modifiable ocular dysgenesis. Hum Mol Genet 2007; 16:798-807. [PMID: 17317786 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddm024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD) is a complex and poorly understood group of conditions. A large proportion of individuals with ASD develop glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness resulting from retinal ganglion cell death. Optic nerve hypoplasia is thought to have distinct causes and is a leading cause of blindness in children. Here, we show that a mutation in the type IV collagen alpha 1 (Col4a1) gene can cause both ASD and optic nerve hypoplasia. COL4A1 is a major component of almost all basement membranes. The mutation results in non-secretion of the mutant COL4A1 proteins, which instead accumulate within cells. Basement membrane abnormalities may, therefore, contribute to the phenotype. The mutation also induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and so intracellular stress may contribute to pathogenesis. The overall consequence of the Col4a1 mutation depends on genetic context. In one genetic context, the mutation causes severe ASD with intraocular pressure abnormalities and optic nerve hypoplasia. In a different genetic context, both the ASD and optic nerve hypoplasia are rescued, and we have identified a single dominant locus that confers the phenotypic modification.
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Fuerst PG, Rauch SM, Burgess RW. Defects in eye development in transgenic mice overexpressing the heparan sulfate proteoglycan agrin. Dev Biol 2006; 303:165-80. [PMID: 17196957 PMCID: PMC1831846 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2006] [Revised: 11/10/2006] [Accepted: 11/23/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The importance of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in neurodevelopment is becoming increasingly clear. However, studies on HSPGs are hampered by pleiotropic effects when synthesis or modification of heparan sulfate itself is targeted, and by redundancy when the core proteins are altered. Gain-of-function experiments can sometimes circumvent these issues. Here we establish that transgenic mice overexpressing the HSPG agrin have severe ocular dysgenesis. The defects occur through a gain-of-function mechanism and penetrance is dependent on agrin dosage. The agrin-induced developmental defects are highly variable, and include anophthalmia, persistence of vitreous vessels, and fusion of anterior chamber structures. A frequently observed defect is an optic stalk coloboma leading to the misdifferentiation of the optic stalk as retina, which becomes continuous with the forebrain. The defects in optic-stalk differentiation correlate with reduced sonic hedgehog immunoreactivity and overexpansion of the PAX6 domain from the retina into the optic stalk. The ocular phenotypes associated with agrin overexpression are dependent on genetic background, occurring with high penetrance in inbred C57BL/6J mice. Distinct loci sensitizing C57BL/6J mice to agrin-induced dysgenesis were identified. These results indicate that agrin overexpression will provide a tool to explore the molecular interactions of the extracellular matrix and cell surface in eye development, and provide a means for identifying modifier loci that sensitize mice to developmental eye defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert W. Burgess
- *Corresponding author: Robert W. Burgess, The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, USA, , Phone: 1-207-288-6706; Fax: 207-288-6077
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40
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Wederell ED, de Iongh RU. Extracellular matrix and integrin signaling in lens development and cataract. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2006; 17:759-76. [PMID: 17134921 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2006.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
During development of the vertebrate lens there are dynamic interactions between the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the lens capsule and lens cells. Disruption of the ECM causes perturbation of lens development and cataract. Similarly, changes in cell signaling can result in abnormal ECM and cataract. Integrins are key mediators of ECM signals and recent studies have documented distinct repertoires of integrin expression during lens development, and in anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC) and posterior caspsule opacification (PCO). Increasingly, studies are being directed to investigating the signaling pathways that integrins modulate and have identified Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and integrin-linked kinase (ILK) as downstream kinases that mediate proliferation, differentiation and morphological changes in the lens during development and cataract formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Wederell
- Department of Anatomy & Histology, Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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41
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Semina EV, Bosenko DV, Zinkevich NC, Soules KA, Hyde DR, Vihtelic TS, Willer GB, Gregg RG, Link BA. Mutations in laminin alpha 1 result in complex, lens-independent ocular phenotypes in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2006; 299:63-77. [PMID: 16973147 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2006] [Revised: 07/04/2006] [Accepted: 07/07/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We report phenotypic and genetic analyses of a recessive, larval lethal zebrafish mutant, bal(a69), characterized by severe eye defects and shortened body axis. The bal(a69) mutation was mapped to chromosome 24 near the laminin alpha 1 (lama1) gene. We analyzed the lama1 gene sequence within bal(a69) embryos and two allelic mutants, bal(arl) and bal(uw1). Missense (bal(a69)), nonsense (bal(arl)), and frameshift (bal(uw1)) alterations in lama1 were found to underlie the phenotypes. Extended analysis of bal(a69) ocular features revealed disrupted lens development with subsequent lens degeneration, focal cornea dysplasia, and hyaloid vasculature defects. Within the neural retina, the ganglion cells showed axonal projection defects and ectopic photoreceptor cells were noted at inner retinal locations. To address whether ocular anomalies were secondary to defects in lens differentiation, bal(a69) mutants were compared to embryos in which the lens vesicle was surgically removed. Our analysis suggests that many of the anterior and posterior ocular defects in bal(a69) are independent of the lens degeneration. Analysis of components of focal adhesion signaling complexes suggests that reduced focal adhesion kinase activation underlies the anterior segment dysgenesis in lama1 mutants. To assess adult ocular phenotypes associated with lama1 mutations, genetic mosaics were generated by transplanting labeled bal cells into ocular-fated regions of wild-type blastulas. Adult chimeric eyes displayed a range of defects including anterior segment dysgenesis and cataracts. Our analysis provides mechanistic insights into the developmental defects and ocular pathogenesis caused by mutations in laminin subunits.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Anterior Eye Segment/abnormalities
- Anterior Eye Segment/cytology
- Anterior Eye Segment/embryology
- Base Sequence
- Cataract/pathology
- Chromosomes/genetics
- Cloning, Molecular
- DNA Mutational Analysis
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
- Focal Adhesions
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Laminin/chemistry
- Laminin/deficiency
- Laminin/genetics
- Lens, Crystalline/abnormalities
- Lens, Crystalline/cytology
- Lens, Crystalline/embryology
- Lens, Crystalline/surgery
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Mosaicism
- Mutation/genetics
- Phenotype
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Retinal Ganglion Cells/cytology
- Retinal Vessels/abnormalities
- Retinal Vessels/embryology
- Zebrafish/abnormalities
- Zebrafish/embryology
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V Semina
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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