Cell differentiation lies at the heart of development in all multicellular life. The molecular switches that control development are complicated to study, making the ocular lens an invaluable tool. It provides a simple model of cell differentiation, since it only has two cell types: epithelial cells and fiber cells. Differentiation of epithelial cells into fiber cells involves significant changes in gene expression. These changes were recently characterized in the intact mouse lens. This study evaluates these changes in gene expression associated with cell differentiation in vitro using the lens epithelial explant system. Although extensive RNA-sequencing analysis has been performed on developing mouse lenses in vivo, no such experiment exists on mouse epithelial explants. This study aims to determine how well the explant system mimics the intact mouse lens at the transcriptional level. RNA sequencing was performed on P8 mouse lenses to provide an evaluation of gene expression changes associated with differentiation in lens explants. This study provides a foundation for future studies dissecting the molecular signals required for lens fiber cell differentiation.
Authors: Courtney Manz, Stephanie Padula, Brad Wagner, Michael L. Robinson
Faculty Advisor/Department: Dr. Michael L. Robinson/Biology
Graduate Student Advisor/Department: Stephanie Padula/Biology
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