Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:Mini–Chromosome Maintenance (MCM) proteins 2–7 are important for the correct initiation of DNA replication. We found that MCM 6 is expressed in the developing retina and we are investigating the potential of this protein as a marker of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). Methods:Expression of MCM6 was directly compared to known markers of RPCs, such as PCNA, phosphorylated histone H3 and Cyclin D1. To determine if MCM 6 is downregulated as RPCs become postmitotic and differentiate, we compared MCM 6 expression with proteins expressed in differentiated retinal neurons and glia. Results:MCM 6 is expressed throughout retinal development and its pattern of expression was consistent with that of RPCs. Mcm6 was almost always co–expressed with each of the progenitor and cell cycle phase markers. Mcm6 was not co–expressed with makers of differentiated cell types (except for in a very small cohort of cells) Conclusions:Mcm6 is good marker of RPCs in the mouse retina because it is co–expressed with progenitor cell markers and is rarely co–expressed with markers of differentiated cells. The co–expression of Mcm6 with a small population of cells indicates that it may be gradually downregulated as the cell differentiates.
Keywords: retina • proliferation • retinal development