| Research Abstract |
In the first, we examined changes in the quantity of extracellular matrices (ECM) and gene expression of cell adhesion molecules of lens epithelial cell (LEC) in the culture. During successive subcultures, the quantity of mRNA of collagen Type IV and laminin decreased, and at the same time that of collagen Type I and fibronectin increased rapidly (2000).
Next we examined changes in the expression of apoptotic signals during the differentiation of LEG. Apoptotic LECs were detected in the region of germinative zone and bow area of lens epithelium by the method of TUNEL and by the use of anti-ssDNA antibody. The expression of TNF and its receptor, TNFR1 and a receptor of TRAIL, DR5 was detected by either immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR method (2001).
We examined the expression of p75NTR, a member of TNFR super family, and detected in the bow area of young mouse but not that of adult mouse, suggesting some specific role of p75NTR in the differentiation of LECs.
Finally, we examined the expression of integrin-β4 and found that it was detected in the whole cytoplasm of germinative region, while, it was only detected on the cell membrane at the lens capsule side in the bow area (2002).
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