PMID: 15346106Sep 4, 2004Paper

BMP and activin receptor expression in lens development

Molecular Vision
R U de IonghJ W McAvoy

Abstract

Members of the TGFbeta super-family have been shown to play important roles in lens development, including lens placode formation and fiber differentiation, and also induce changes characteristic of some forms of cataract. Previous studies demonstrated expression of TGFbeta receptors during lens morphogenesis. However, the expression patterns of activin and BMP receptors or their signaling mediators, the Smad proteins, have not been well documented. In this study we examine the spatio-temporal expression patterns of activin receptors (ActRIIA, ActRIIB, ALK1, and ALK2), BMP receptors (BMPRII, ALK3, and ALK6), and the distribution of the phosphorylated forms of Smad1 and Smad2 during normal lens development (E12-P21) and aberrant development in transgenic mice that express dominant negative TGFbeta receptors. RT-PCR was used to identify receptor expression in total RNA isolated from P2 and P21 rat lenses. cDNAs were cloned and used for in situ hybridization analysis of spatio-temporal expression patterns in wild type and transgenic (OVE550 and OVE591) lenses. Expression of ALK3 was also examined by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. Antibodies for phosphorylated forms of Smad1 and Smad2 were used to examine activation of BMP ...Continue Reading

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