title: Age-related changes of aquaporin expression patterns in the postnatal rat retina.
abstract: Previous studies revealed that the rat retina contains numerous membrane-located water channels, the aquaporins (AQPs). Protein expression patterns of AQP1-4, 6 and 9 were examined by immunohistochemistry. In the present study, we investigated the immunolocalization of AQP1-4, 6 and 9 during postnatal development in the rat retina and examined the effect of age on the tissue distribution of these channels. AQP1, 3, 4, 6 and 9 showed gradually increased expression in rat retinas from postnatal week 1 to week 12, and decreased in the 40-week-old rat retinas. AQP2 expression was barely seen in the first week in rat retinas and displayed a significant increase from week 1 to week 4, however no significant alteration of AQP2 was observed after 4weeks of development. AQP1 and 4 immunoreactivities were present in the inner limiting membrane (ILM), the ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner nuclear layer (INL) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the 4-, 12- and 40-week-old rat retinas. The RPE, OLM and ILM showed a remarkable expression of AQP1-4, 6 and 9 in the 4, 12 and 40-week-old rat retinas. The reduced expression of AQPs in aged rat retinas may indicate the involvement of AQPs in the pathogenesis of age-related retinal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey. huseyin.ortak@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ortak
authors.forename: Sevil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cayli
authors.forename: Seda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ocaklı
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söğüt
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ekici
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demir
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins