Primary Cultures of Embryonic Chick Lens Cells as a Model System to Study Lens Gap Junctions and Fiber Cell Differentiation

摘要: A major limitation in lens gap junction research has been the lack of experimentally tractable ex vivo systems to study formation and regulation fiber-type junctions. Although immortalized lens-derived cell lines are amenable both gene transfection siRNA-mediated knockdown, our knowledge none capable undergoing appreciable epithelial-to-fiber differentiation. Lens central epithelial explants have converse limitation. key advance field was development a primary embryonic chick culture system by Drs. Sue Menko Ross Johnson. Unlike explants, these cultures also include cells from peripheral (preequatorial equatorial) epithelium, which is most physiologically relevant population for formation. We modified Menko/Johnson refer as dissociated cell-derived monolayer (DCDMLs). DCDMLs without serum mimic avascular environment on laminin, matrix component capsule. Here, I review features DCDML how we used it junctions fiber Our results demonstrate power generate new findings germane mammalian can be exploited conduct experiments that would impossible, prohibitively expensive and/or difficult interpret using transgenic animals vivo.