Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate the expression of inducible heat shock protein70(Hsp70) and constitutive heat shock protein70(Hsc70) in outer nuclear layer and photoreceptors of the human fetal retina Methods: The fetal eyeballs were selected from specimens of fetal autopsy, in the Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital. The chosen eyes were of fetuses during gestational age (GA) 12 weeks and 17 to 40 weeks, which had no history of congenital anomaly. We performed hematoxylin and eosin staining for histology, and immunohistochemistry for Hsp70 and Hsc70. Results: With increasing from GA 12 weeks to 36 weeks, the retina was differentiated from neuroblastic cells to matured sensory retina, as previously known. Hsc70 was expressed at all GA’s from 12 to 40 weeks. Though the quantitative evaluation was not tried, it was prominent at GA 20 to 36 weeks. Hsp70 was expressed from GA 20 to 33 weeks, which is a period of prominent expression of Hsc70. This period is in concordance with maturation of sensory retina. Conclusion: The immunoreactivity of Hsp70 and Hsc70 was prominent at the period of maturation of sensory retina. The expression of heat shock proteins may be developmentally regulated through ocular organogenesis, and may play some important roles in ocular development.
Keywords: 564 retinal development • 434 immunohistochemistry • 343 chaperones