title: Fibulin-5 distribution in human eyes: relevance to age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Fibulin-5 is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that participates in elastogenesis. Mutations in the gene for fibulin-5 have been found to be associated with age-related macular degeneration. Little is known, however, about the expression of this gene in normal eyes or eyes with age-related macular degeneration. In this study, we evaluated the expression of the fibulin-5 protein in human donor eyes and localized this protein to Bruch's membrane and the intercapillary pillars of the choriocapillaris in normal eyes. In eyes with age-related macular degeneration, fibulin-5 was localized to pathologic basal deposits beneath the retinal pigment epithelium as well as some small drusen. These results suggest that fibulin-5 may promote extracellular deposit formation in macular degeneration.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Marissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Olvera
authors.forename: Abbot F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Edwin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; C060820:fibulin