title: Formation of persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous in ephrin-A5-/- mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary vitreous regression is a critical event in mammalian eye development required for proper ocular maturity and unhindered vision. Failure of this event results in the eye disease persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV), also identified as persistent fetal vasculature (PFV), a condition characterized by the presence of a fibrovascular mass adjacent to the lens and retina, and associated with visual disability and blindness. Here, we identify ephrin-A5 to be a critical regulator for primary vitreous regression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wild-type and ephrin-A5(-/-) eyes were examined at various developmental stages to determine the progression of PHPV. Eye tissue was sectioned and examined by H&E staining. Protein expression and localization was determined through immunohistochemistry. Relative levels of Eph receptors were determined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ephrin-A5(-/-) animals develop ocular phenotypes representative of PHPV, most notably the presence of a large hyperplastic mass posterior to the lens that remains throughout the lifetime of the animal. The aberrant tissue in these mutant mice consists of residual hyaloid vessels surrounded by pigmented cells of neural crest origin. Labeling with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression shows that the mass in ephrin-A5(-/-) animals is mitotically active in embryonic and postnatal stages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ephrin-A5 is a critical factor that regulates primary vitreous regression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Biology, Susan Lehman-Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheleg
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Yuhai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Norman J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kleiman
authors.forename: Renping
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D036386:Ephrin-A5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054514:Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D036386:Ephrin-A5
keywords: Eph receptor; ephrin; persistent fetal vasculature; persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous; primary vitreous