title: Scaffolding the retina: the interstitial extracellular matrix during rat retinal development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the expression of interstitial extracellular matrix components and their role during retinal development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fibronectin (FN), collagen IV (Coll IV) and laminin 5 (Lam 5) expression in rat retinas from developmental stages E17 to adult were studied. In addition, PN5 full-thickness retinas were cultured for 7 days with dispase, which selectively cleaves FN and Coll IV, at either 0.5 U/ml or 5.0 U/ml for 3 or 24h. Eyecups and retinal cultures were examined morphologically using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coll IV, Lam 5 and FN were all transiently expressed in the interstitial matrix of the retinal layers during development. The retinal layers in dispase treated explants was severely disturbed in a dose and time dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FN, Lam 5 and Coll IV, are present in the interstitial extracellular matrix during rat retinal development. Enzymatic cleavage of FN and Coll IV early in the lamination process disrupts the retinal layers implicating their pivotal role in this process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: linnea.taylor@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Linnéa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arnér
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engelsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
keywords: Collagen; Extracellular matrix; Fibronectin; Interstitial matrix; Laminin; Retinal development; Retinal lamination