Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To elucidate the association of clusterin expression with retinal vessel development Methods: At P0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 26 of C57BL/6 mice, immunohistochemistry and western blotting for clusterin, Hsp70, PECAM, ZO–1, Flt–1, Flk–1, RACK–1, and TUNEL were performed in the retina Results: PECAM, ZO–1, Flt–1, Flk–1 was expressed in the inner retina and increased with the progression of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. RACK–1 was decreased with increasing time. TUNEL was positive broadly in retina, and changed with increasing time. Hsp70, which was expressed primarily in outer retina, was weakly expressed till P8 when eyelids open, but increased after P10. Clusterin was prominently expressed in inner retina, and constantly up–regulated during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis Conclusions: Clusterin was prominently expressed in inner layer of developing retina, where active vascular development occurs. Clusterin expression was closely associated with retinal vascular formation. It may be a cellular chaperone for retinal vessel development.
Keywords: retinal development • vascular cells • chaperones