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VEGF 165 b in the developing vasculatures of the fetal human eye
Author(s) -
Baba Takayuki,
McLeod D. Scott,
Edwards Malia M.,
Merges Carol,
Sen Tanusree,
Sinha Debasish,
Lutty Gerard A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.23743
Subject(s) - biology , anatomy , retina , retinal pigment epithelium , choroid , angiogenesis , fetus , pathology , vascular endothelial growth factor , vegf receptors , medicine , cancer research , neuroscience , pregnancy , genetics
VEGF 165 b is an anti‐angiogenic form of VEGF 165 produced by alternative splicing. The localization of pro‐angiogenic VEGF 165 and anti‐angiogenic VEGF 165 b was investigated during development of the vasculatures in fetal human eyes from 7 to 21 weeks gestation (WG). The fetal vasculature of vitreous, which includes tunica vasculosa lentis (TVL), had moderate VEGF 165 immunoreactivity at 7WG and very little VEGF 165 b. Both forms were elevated at 12WG. VEGF 165 then decreased around 17WG when the TVL regresses but VEGF 165 b remained elevated. In choroid, VEGF 165 was present in forming choriocapillaris (CC) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at 7WG while VEGF165b was present in CC and mesenchymal precursors within the choroidal stroma. By 21WG, both forms were elevated in RPE and choroidal blood vessels but VEGF 165 b was apical and VEGF 165 basal in RPE. Diffuse VEGF 165 immunoreactivity was prominent in 12WG innermost retina where blood vessels will form while VEGF 165 b was present in most CXCR4 + progenitors in the inner neuroblastic layer and migrating angioblasts in the putative nerve fiber layer. By 21WG, VEGF 165 was present in nerve fibers and VEGF 165 b in the inner Muller cell process. The localization of VEGF 165 b was distinctly different from VEGF 165 both spatially and temporally and it was often associated with nucleus in progenitors. Developmental Dynamics 241:595–607, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.