title: Distribution of the small molecular weight GTP-binding proteins Rac1, Cdc42, RhoA and RhoB in the developing chick retina.
abstract: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the distribution of Rac1, Cdc42, RhoA and RhoB GTPases during development of the chick retina. All proteins appear as early as embryonic day 5 (E5) in cells of the vitreal margin, E7-8 in cells of the inner third of the inner nuclear layer and E9-10 in photoreceptors. From E10 until hatching, RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 were seen in perikarya and/or processes of amacrine, ganglion cells, and photoreceptors. Rho proteins were also observed in retinal Müller cells, with different distributions. RhoB showed a transient expression, being severely down regulated after E18. The distribution pattern of Rho proteins during the development of the chick retina suggests a concerted role in the differentiation of specific cell types, and probably during synaptogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology & Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa Silveira
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Santos-Bredariol
authors.forename: Marinilce Fagundes
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Dânia Emi
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Hamassaki-Britto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020743:rhoB GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein; D020743:rhoB GTP-Binding Protein