title: Protocadherin-9 involvement in retinal development in Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Biological roles of most protocadherins (Pcdhs) are a largely unsolved problem. Therefore, we cloned cDNA for Xenopus laevis protocadherin-9 and characterized its properties to elucidate the role. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly homologous to those of mammalian protocadherin-9 s. X. laevis protocadherin-9 expressed from the cDNA in L cells showed basic properties similar to those of mammalian Pcdhs. Expression of X. laevis protocadherin-9 was first detected in stage-31 embryos and increased as the development proceeded. In the later stage embryos and the adults, the retina strongly expressed protocadherin-9, which was mainly localized at the plexiform layers. Injection of morpholino anti-sense oligonucleotide against protocadherin-9 into the fertilized eggs inhibited eye development; and eye growth and formation of the retinal laminar structure were hindered. Moreover, affected retina showed abnormal extension of neurites into the ganglion cell layer. Co-injection of protocadherin-9 mRNA with the morpholino anti-sense oligonucleotide rescued the embryos from the defects. These results suggest that X. laevis protocadherin-9 was involved in the development of retina structure possibly through survival of neurons, formation of the lamina structure and neurite localization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taira
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machigashira
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Miwako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-Shi, Hyogo-Ken 669-1337, Japan and Rikkyo College of Science, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishishinjyuku, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan stsuzuki@kwansei.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shintaro T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Xenopus laevis; development; morpholino oligonucleotide; protocadherin-9; retina