Expression patterns of beta1-related alpha integrin subunits in murine lens during embryonic development and wound healing.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression patterns of b1-related alpha integrin subunits in murine lens epithelial cells, comparing embryonic fiber differentiation with injury-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).


METHODS
Adult mice type C57BL/6, pregnant as well as with an eye injured, were sacrificed at different time-course intervals. The embryonic and the injured eyes were obtained and deparaffinized sections of these eyes were processed for immunohistochemistry staining for detection of integrin a subunits.


RESULTS
Embryonic lens epithelial cells expressed primarily a3 and a5 subunits, whereas embryonic fiber cells expressed a2, a5, and a6 subunits. Adult lens epithelial cells expressed a3, and a6 subunits,whereas injured lens cells expressed a2, a3, and a6 integrin subunits.


CONCLUSIONS
The phenotypic changes of lens epithelial cells during embryonic fiber differentiation and EMT are characterized by different expression of integrin subunits as a result both of the altered extracellular matrix conditions and of the altered cell signaling pathways recruited in each process.
Barbour
Walid
W
Department of Ophthalmology, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama 641-0012, Japan. w.barbour@mailcity.com
Saika
Shizuya
S
Miyamoto
Takeshi
T
Ohkawa
Kiyomi
K
Utsunomiya
Hirotoshi
H
Ohnishi
Yoshitaka
Y
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D039001:Integrin alpha Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000196:embryology* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D014945:Wound Healing
D039001:Integrin alpha Chains