Formation of lentoids from retina gliocytes: ultrastructural study.
In primary monolayer cultures of dispersed neural retina cells from 13-day chick embryo, gliocytes (Müller glia cells) multiply and rapidly change into a lentoidal (lens-like) phenotype. They express lens proteins, including MP26 (a lens plasma-membrane antigen) and ultra-structurally appear to resemble lens cells. A significant aspect of this modification is that the glia-derived lentoidal cells no longer display contact-affinity for neurons but become preferentially adhesive to each other; in aggregates, they assemble into compact lentoids. A likely explanation for this change in cell affinities is that the modified gliocytes express little or no R-cognin, a retinal cell-surface antigen implicated in mutual recognition and adhesion of retina cells. Although lentoidal cells express MP26, a gap-junction component in the lens, no gap junctions could be found in the lentoids.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D020346:Aquaporins; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D020346:Aquaporins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C030328:aquaporin 0; C026097:cognin