Microfibril-Associated Glycoprotein-1 Controls Human Ciliary Zonule Development In Vitro |
| |
Authors: | Takahiro Fujita Eichi Tsuruga Kaori Yamanouchi Yoshihiko Sawa Hiroyuki Ishikawa |
| |
Institution: | 1.Section of Orthodontics, Department of Oral Growth & Development, Division of Clinical Dentistry, Fukuoka Dental College, 2–15–1 Tamura, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814–0193, Japan;2.Section of Functional Structure, Department of Morphological Biology, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Fukuoka Dental College, 2–15–1 Tamura, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814–0193, Japan |
| |
Abstract: | The ciliary zonule in the eye, also known as Zinn’s zonule, is composed of oxytalan fibers, which are bundles of microfibrils consisting mainly of fibrillin-1. However, it is still unclear which of the microfibril-associated molecules present in the ciliary zonule controls oxytalan fibers. Microfibril-associated glycoprotein-1 (MAGP-1) is the only microfibril-associated molecule identified in the human ciliary zonule. In the present study, we used siRNA against MAGP-1 in cultures of human non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells to examine the extracellular deposition and appearance of fibrillin-1 employing Western blotting and immunofluorescence. MAGP-1 suppression led to a reduction of fibrillin-1 deposition. Immunofluorescence also confirmed that RNAi-mediated down-regulation of MAGP-1 led to suppression of fiber development. These results suggest that MAGP-1 plays a crucial role in the extracellular deposition of fibrillin-1 during formation of the human ciliary zonule. |
| |
Keywords: | fibrillin MAGP-1 microfibrils oxytalan fibers ciliary zonule |
|
|