Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Cover Image for Volume 59, Issue 9
July 2018
Volume 59, Issue 9
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   July 2018
Novel characterization of Prox-1 expression in the optic nerve
Yujia Yang; Liwei Zhang; Guangyu Li; Lu Chen
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Yujia Yang
    Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
    Center for Eye Disease and Development, Program in Vision Science, and School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
  • Liwei Zhang
    Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
    Center for Eye Disease and Development, Program in Vision Science, and School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
  • Guangyu Li
    Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
    Center for Eye Disease and Development, Program in Vision Science, and School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
  • Lu Chen
    Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
    Center for Eye Disease and Development, Program in Vision Science, and School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Yujia Yang, None; Liwei Zhang, None; Guangyu Li, None; Lu Chen, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  This work is supported in part by research grants from NIH and University of California at Berkeley (LC).
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science July 2018, Vol.59, 312. doi:
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      Yujia Yang, Liwei Zhang, Guangyu Li, Lu Chen; Novel characterization of Prox-1 expression in the optic nerve. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2018;59(9):312.

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Abstract

Purpose : Lymphatic research has progressed rapidly in recent years. Lymphatic properties have been identified in several ocular tissues and structures, such as the cornea, conjunctiva, and Schlemm’s canal. Prox-1 is the master control gene for lymphatic development and it has been widely used to detect lymphatic structures inside and outside the eye. In this study, we investigated the expression of Prox-1 in the optic nerve, an important structure that conveys visual information from the retina to the brain.

Methods : Optic nerves were harvested from transgenic mice of Prox-1-GFP (green fluorescent protein). Cross and longitudinal sections were used for immunostainings with specific antibodies against CD31 (panendothelial cell marker), GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein, an astrocyte marker), and AQP4 (aquaporin-4, a water channel protein expressed on astrocytic endfeet). Samples were observed by a Zeiss epifluorescence deconvolution microscope.

Results : Prox-1 positive cells were distributed inside the optic nerves. Some of the Prox-1 positive cells were observed ensheathing CD31 positive structures. These cells also expressed GFAP and AQP4, indicating the expression of Prox-1 on the glymphatic system in the optic nerve.

Conclusions : This study provides the first evidence showing Prox-1 expression on the astrocytes in the optic nerve. It also reveals Prox-1 as a new marker for the glymphatic system in the optic nerve. Further exploration on this novel phenomenon may reveal new mechanisms and therapeutic targets for optic nerve related diseases which affect many patients worldwide.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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