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Adhesion and junction molecules in embryonic and adult lens cell differentiation
Author(s) -
Watanabe Michiko,
Kobayashi Hideyuki,
Yao Ruihong,
Maisel Harry
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1992.tb02180.x
Subject(s) - neural cell adhesion molecule , polysialic acid , embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , lens (geology) , cell adhesion molecule , adhesion , cell adhesion , chemistry , biology , cell , biochemistry , paleontology , organic chemistry , gene
The expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM and its polysialic acid (PSA) moiety was documented during embryonic development and adult differentiation of chicken lens cells. In both the embryo and adult, NCAM is predominantly found in the epithelium and the zone of young elongating cells of the annular pad. NCAM abundance drops markedly in the cortical fibers and is further reduced in the lens nucleus. Epithelial cell NCAM is more highly polysialylated in the adult than in the embryonic lens. Three isoforms of NCAM at 180, 140, and 120 kDa were detected in the lens and predominantly associated with the unit membrane‐enriched plasma membranes of fiber cells. The distribution of NCAM relative to MP26 and the adherence junction‐associated glycoprotein N‐cadherin suggests that NCAM could influence the formation of fiber cell gap junctions and adherence junctions.