The patterning and onset of opsin expression in vertebrate retinae

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

Volumn 6, Issue 4, 1996, Pages 542-546

  Cepko, Constance L ^a  

^a HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

OPSIN;

CHICKEN; EMBRYO PATTERN FORMATION; NONHUMAN; PHOTORECEPTOR; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROTEIN EXPRESSION; PROTEIN SYNTHESIS; RETINA; REVIEW; RHESUS MONKEY; RODENT; VERTEBRATE; ZEBRA FISH;

EID: 0030218097     PISSN: 09594388     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0959-4388(96)80062-6     Document Type: Article

References (32)

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12. Bruhn SL, Cepko CL. Development of the pattern of photoreceptors in the chick retina. of outstanding interest J Neurosci. 16:1996;1430-1439 The authors used in situ hybridization to examine gross patterning of photoreceptors across the retina. They found that the center of the retina has a rod-free zone and contains all the cone types, and that there is a rod-sparse horizontal streak. They also examined the timing and sites of opsin expression, which varied among the different opsins. They also found that while the synthesis of opsin is delayed relative to the birthdays of photoreceptors, the synthesis of visinin, a small calcium-binding protein specific to photoreceptors, occurs very early. Visinin synthesis begins within hours of a photoreceptor being born, and the pattern of visinin expression describes the location of the rod-free zone and rod-sparse area at an early stage. This observation suggests that the patterning events occur very early. A second, unexpected, observation was that the locations of the RNAs for the different opsins vary, with red opsin appearing diffusely in the cell, blue and violet opsins appearing within a discrete spot in the inner segment, and green opsin also appearing localized but not as discretely as blue and violet opsins.
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14. Raymond P, Barthel LK, Curran GA. Developmental patterning of rod and cone photoreceptors in embryonic zebrafish. of outstanding interest J Comp Neurol. 359:1995;537-550 Using RNA probes, the authors determined the sites at which red, blue, and rod opsin genes are first expressed during development of the zebrafish retina. All three genes are first expressed in a ventral patch, previously identified to be the area where photoreceptors first differentiate. Red and blue opsins are also synthesized in another nearby region at the same time. The authors also examined the timing of the onset of opsin synthesis in neighboring cells. Interestingly, expression of red and blue opsins proceeds in an orderly fashion in neighboring cells, but not in rods immediately surrounding the ventral patch. Red and blue opsins initiate synthesis in cells occupying their final position in a well ordered mosaic. The orderly progression of opsin synthesis and the repeated units of cones found across the retina suggests that a phenomenon using local cues is involved in the patterning of the retina.
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31. Yu X, Barnstable C. Characterization and regulation of the protein binding to a cis-acting element, RET 1, in the rat opsin promoter. of special interest J Mol Neurosci. 5:1994;259-271 A number of genes encoding proteins involved in phototransduction have a common cis-acting element that is required for transcription. The authors are now purifying a factor that binds to this site in the opsin promoter.
32. Cepko CL, Austin CP, Yang X, Alexiades M, Ezzeddine D. Cell fate determination in the vertebrate retina. of special interest Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 93:1996;589-595 The data concerning the generation of distinct cell types in the vertebrate retina are reviewed. A model invoking successive states of competence in progenitors that allow for the sequential generation of retina cell types is presented.