Reelin expression is upregulated following ocular tissue injury.
OBJECTIVE
Reelin is important in the guidance of neuronal stem cells in the central nervous system during normal development. We wished to determine whether reelin is expressed in the retina and cornea after injury.


METHODS
Mice underwent laceration of their retina as well as corneal epithelial debridement. The mice were sacrificed at 3 days, and eyes were fixed and stained for reelin expression and reelin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA).


RESULTS
In normal eyes, reelin was expressed only at very low levels in the ganglion cell layer of the retina and the endothelial cell layer of the cornea. In injured eyes, there was marked expression in reelin immunoreactivity in the retina and cornea. Reelin gene expression was seen in the retina and cornea.


CONCLUSIONS
Reelin is expressed during normal retinogenesis. This study shows that reelin is also upregulated following injury to the retina and cornea. The expression of reelin following injury suggests that reelin may play an important role in regulating stem cell trafficking in neuronal and nonneuronal tissues following injury similar to its role in normal organogenesis.
Pulido
Jose S
JS
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Sugaya
Ikuko
I
Comstock
Jordan
J
Sugaya
Kiminobu
K
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C000717128:Reln protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases