Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To immunolocalize metalloproteinases, collagens and antiangiogenic factors in Type XVIII collagen knockout mice during development and wound healing. Methods: Littermate offspring from heterozygous and homozygous collagen XVIII knockout C57BL/6 mice were included in this study. Mice were genotyped using PCR, and the eyes mounted in OCT and sectioned for immunohistochemistry. Specimens from heterozygous and homozygous collagen XVIII knockout mice were used to determine the immunolocalization of collagen IV, collagen XV A, collagen XV B, NC-11 and hinge domain (AbN) of collagen XVIII, MMP-7, PEDF, angiostatin (K1) and plasminogen (B chain) using well- characterized polyclonal antibodies. Specimens were examined by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Results: No phenotypic anatomic abnormalities were observed in the eyes of the knockout mice. NC-11 was immunolocalized to the posterior lid margin and corneal epithelium and epithelial basement membrane in heterozygous animals and was absent in knockout animals. Type IV collagen was primarily localized in the palpebral conjunctiva, anterior and posterior layers of the cornea and in the lens capsule. AbN staining was noted in the cornea and lids in both heterozygous and homozygous knockout animals. There were no differences in the immunolocalization patterns of the other enzymes, collagens and antiangiogenic factors between the wild type and knockout mice. Conclusion: The immunohistochemical alterations in the homozygous collagen type XVIII knockout mice do not seem to be associated with phenotypic abnormalities.
Keywords: 370 cornea: basic science • 483 neovascularization • 316 animal model