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Developmental Origin of the Posterior Pigmented Epithelium of Iris

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Abstract

Iris epithelium is a double-layered pigmented cuboidal epithelium. According to the current model, the neural retina and the posterior iris pigment epithelium (IPE) are derived from the inner wall of the optic cup, while the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the anterior IPE are derived from the outer wall of the optic cup during development. Our current study shows evidence, contradicting this model of fetal iris development. We demonstrate that human fetal iris expression patterns of Otx2 and Mitf transcription factors are similar, while the expressions of Otx2 and Sox2 are complementary. Furthermore, IPE and RPE exhibit identical morphologic development during the early embryonic period. Our results suggest that the outer layer of the optic cup forms two layers of the iris epithelium, and the posterior IPE is the inward-curling anterior rim of the outer layer of the optic cup. These findings provide a reasonable explanation of how IPE cells can be used as an appropriate substitute for RPE cells.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology, China (2006CB943700) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81170885). We thank the staff at the Institute of Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences of Fudan University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Xiaobing Wang, Kai Xiong, Dandan Gu, Songtao Wang, Jing Chen, Honglei Xiao & Guomin Zhou

  2. Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Guomin Zhou

  3. Department of Neurology, Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Lei Lu

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  1. Xiaobing Wang
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Correspondence to Guomin Zhou.

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12013_2014_310_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Fig. S1. Images of human fetus at different developmental stages. 5 w (A), 6 w (B), 7 w (C). (▲): Fetal human eye. (TIFF 2803 kb)

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Wang, X., Xiong, K., Lu, L. et al. Developmental Origin of the Posterior Pigmented Epithelium of Iris. Cell Biochem Biophys 71, 1067–1076 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-014-0310-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-014-0310-0

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