title: Teleost lens development and degeneration.
abstract: The transparent properties of the lens and its ability to focus light onto the retina are critical for normal vision. Optical clarity of the lens is achieved and maintained by a unique, highly regulated integration of lens cell proliferation and differentiation that persists throughout life. Zebrafish is a powerful genetic model for studying vertebrate lens differentiation and growth because the structural organization of the lens and gene functions are largely conserved with mammals, including humans. However, some features of zebrafish lens developmental morphology and gene expression are different from those of mammals and other terrestrial vertebrates. For example, the presumptive zebrafish lens delaminates from the surface ectoderm to form a solid mass of cells, in which the primary fibers differentiate by elongating in circular fashion. Both mutational and candidate gene analyses have identified and characterized developmental gene functions of the lens in zebrafish. This chapter presents the recent morphological analysis of zebrafish lens formation. In addition, the roles of Pitx3, Foxe3, and the lens-specific protein Lengsin (LENS Glutamine SYNthetase-like) in lens development are analyzed. Selected zebrafish lens mutants defective in early developmental processes and the maintenance of lens transparency are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Zebrafish Research, Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Vihtelic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D009154:Mutation; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C500591:Pitx3 protein, zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C518362:foxe3 protein, zebrafish