PUBLICATION

The Expression of irx7 in the Inner Nuclear Layer of Zebrafish Retina Is Essential for a Proper Retinal Development and Lamination

Authors
Zhang, Y., Yang, Y., Trujillo, C., Zhong, W., and Leung, Y.F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-120430-19
Date
2012
Source
PLoS One   7(4): e36145 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Leung, Yuk Fai, Zhang, Yuqing
Keywords
Retina, Embryos, Cell differentiation, In situ hybridization, Zebrafish, Photoreceptors, Immunostaining, Gene regulation
MeSH Terms
  • Photoreceptor Cells/cytology
  • Apoptosis
  • Zebrafish
  • Retina/cytology
  • Retina/growth & development
  • Retina/metabolism*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Zebrafish Proteins/deficiency
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells/cytology
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
(all 17)
PubMed
22540019 Full text @ PLoS One
Abstract

Irx7, a member in the zebrafish iroquois transcription factor (TF) family, has been shown to control brain patterning. During retinal development, irx7's expression was found to appear exclusively in the inner nuclear layer (INL) as soon as the prospective INL cells withdraw from the cell cycle and during retinal lamination. In Irx7-deficient retinas, the formation of a proper retinal lamination was disrupted and the differentiation of INL cell types, including amacrine, horizontal, bipolar and Muller cells, was compromised. Despite irx7's exclusive expression in the INL, photoreceptors differentiation was also compromised in Irx7-deficient retinas. Compared with other retinal cell types, ganglion cells differentiated relatively well in these retinas, except for their dendritic projections into the inner plexiform layer (IPL). In fact, the neuronal projections of amacrine and bipolar cells into the IPL were also diminished. These indicate that the retinal lamination issue in the Irx7-deficient retinas is likely caused by the attenuation of the neurite outgrowth. Since the expression of known TFs that can specify specific retinal cell type was also altered in Irx7-deficient retinas, thus the irx7 gene network is possibly a novel regulatory circuit for retinal development and lamination.

Genes / Markers
Figures
Figure Gallery (11 images) / 2
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Allele Construct Type Affected Genomic Region
mi2001TgTransgenic Insertion
    1 - 1 of 1
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    Human Disease / Model
    No data available
    Sequence Targeting Reagents
    Target Reagent Reagent Type
    irx7MO1-irx7MRPHLNO
    irx7MO2-irx7MRPHLNO
    irx7MO3-irx7MRPHLNO
    1 - 3 of 3
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    Fish
    1 - 4 of 4
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    Antibodies
    Orthology
    No data available
    Engineered Foreign Genes
    Marker Marker Type Name
    GFPEFGGFP
    1 - 1 of 1
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    Mapping
    No data available