Cheng_2021.pdf (9.8 MB)
EphA2 Affects Development of the Eye Lens Nucleus and the Gradient of Refractive Index
journal contribution
posted on 2023-07-26, 15:39 authored by Catherine Cheng, Kehao Wang, Masato Hoshino, Kentaro Uesugi, Naoto Yagi, Barbara K. PierscionekPurpose: Our studies in mouse eye lenses demonstrate that ephrin-A5 and EphA2 are needed for normal epithelial cells and lens transparency. We sought to determine whether EphA2 and ephrin-A5 are important for lens morphometrics, nucleus formation, and refractive index.
Methods: We performed tissue morphometric measurements, electron microscopy, Western blots, and interferometric measurements using an X-ray synchrotron beam source to measure the gradient of refractive index (GRIN) to compare mouse lenses with genetic disruption of EphA2 or ephrin-A5.
Results: Morphometric analysis revealed that although there is no change in the overall lens volume, there is a change in lens shape in both EphA2−/− lenses and ephrin-A5−/− lenses. Surprisingly, EphA2−/− lenses had small and soft lens nuclei different from hard lens nuclei of control lenses. SEM images revealed changes in cell morphology of EphA2−/− fiber cells close to the center of the lens. Inner EphA2−/− lens fibers had more pronounced tongue-and-groove interdigitations and formed globular membrane morphology only in the deepest layers of the lens nucleus. We did not observe nuclear defects in ephrin-A5−/− lenses. There was an overall decrease in magnitude of refractive index across EphA2−/− lenses, which is most pronounced in the nucleus.
Conclusions: This work reveals that Eph-ephrin signaling plays a role in fiber cell maturation, nuclear compaction, and lens shape. Loss of EphA2 disrupts the nuclear compaction resulting in a small lens nucleus. Our data suggest that Eph-ephrin signaling may be required for fiber cell membrane reorganization and compaction and for establishing a normal GRIN.
History
Refereed
- Yes
Volume
63Issue number
1Page range
2Publication title
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual ScienceISSN
1552-5783External DOI
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ARVOFile version
- Published version
Language
- eng
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Legacy posted date
2022-01-07Legacy creation date
2022-01-07Legacy Faculty/School/Department
Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine & Social CareUsage metrics
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