The zebrafish cornea: structure and development.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the zebrafish as a model for the studies of corneal development and disease.


METHODS
Zebrafish embryos and larvae at various stages of development were used for documenting corneal morphogenesis and differentiation. Corneal samples were collected from embryos, larvae, and adult zebrafish for histologic and electron microscopy analysis. Expression patterns of corneal polypeptides were investigated by immunostaining of sections.


RESULTS
The zebrafish cornea develops rapidly during embryogenesis, so that its three major layers, the epithelium, the stroma, and the endothelium, are well formed by day 3 postfertilization. The subsequent steps of corneal differentiation, such as the thickening of the corneal stroma, proceed relatively slowly. Several polypeptides are highly enriched in the epithelium or the stroma of the larval and adult zebrafish cornea and are excellent markers of corneal differentiation.


CONCLUSIONS
Development and differentiation of the zebrafish cornea are easily accessible to analysis. Anatomic and ultrastructural characterization of the zebrafish cornea demonstrates many similarities to the human cornea and provides the basis for the use of the zebrafish model both to analyze the basic genetic mechanisms of corneal development and to study the causes of corneal disease.
Zhao
Xinping C
XC
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Hermann Eye Center, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. xinping.zhao@uth.tmc.edu
Yee
Richard W
RW
Norcom
Evan
E
Burgess
Heather
H
Avanesov
Andrei S
AS
Barrish
Jim P
JP
Malicki
Jarema
J
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003315:Cornea / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009024:Morphogenesis; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
D005136:Eye Proteins