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Musashi Expression in Developing and Mature Chick Eye
Author(s) -
BeleckyAdams Teri L,
Wilson Jonathan,
Sato Kazuno,
Chernoff Ellen A
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a146-b
Subject(s) - immunocytochemistry , biology , retina , progenitor cell , bromodeoxyuridine , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , pathology , immunohistochemistry , immunology , neuroscience , endocrinology , medicine
Objective: Determine if Musashi‐1 (Msi‐1), an indirect activator of the notch pathway, is expressed in stem cells and/or progenitor cells of the developing and mature chick eye. Methods: Whole mount and section in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry were used in Hamburger and Hamilton stage 8 (E2) through stage 44 (E18) chick embryos. Western blots of protein extracted from chick eye and neural tube were used to determine the specificity of the Msi‐1 antibody. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrDU) immunocytochemistry was used to determine expression of Msi‐1 in proliferating cells. Results: Msi‐1 message and protein were expressed in the optic cup beginning at stage 21 (E3) up to an including stage 44 (E18). At early optic cup stages (E3–E4), Msi‐1 was found in a fundal to peripheral gradient consistent with the gradient of differentiation that occurs in the developing retina of many species. Msi‐1 was also detected in the ciliary margin zone (CMZ), a region that contains retinal stem cells, at each stage examined. Expression was also detected in cells co‐expressing markers for photoreceptors, Mueller glia, amacrine, and ganglion cells. In BrDU proliferation experiments, Msi‐1 appeared to be in both proliferating and non‐proliferating cells of the neural retina. Conclusions: Msi‐1 is expressed in progenitor and stem cell populations of the retina as well as in several types of differentiating cells.