PUBLICATION

Using myc genes to search for stem cells in the ciliary margin of the Xenopus retina

Authors
Xue, X.Y., and Harris, W.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-110511-2
Date
2012
Source
Developmental Neurobiology   72(4): 475-490 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Harris, William A.
Keywords
ciliary marginal zone, c-myc, n-myc, myc, retinal stem/progenitor cells, growth factor signalling, xenopus, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Genes, myc
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Neurogenesis/physiology*
  • Retina/cytology*
  • Retina/embryology
  • Retina/metabolism
  • Stem Cells/cytology*
  • Stem Cells/metabolism
  • Xenopus/embryology
  • Xenopus/genetics*
PubMed
21465669 Full text @ Dev. Neurobiol.
Abstract
The ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) of fish and frog retinas contains cells that proliferate throughout postembryonic development as the retina grows with increasing body size, indicating the presence of stem cells in this region. However, neither the location nor the molecular identity of retinal stem cells have been identified. Here, we show in Xenopus that c-myc and n-myc are sequentially expressed both during development and in the post-embryonic retina. The c-myc+/n-myc- cells near the extreme periphery of the CMZ cycle more slowly and preferentially retain DNA label compared to their more central cmyc+/n-myc+ neighbors which cycle rapidly and preferentially dilute DNA label. During retinal development c-myc is functionally required earlier than n-myc, and n-myc expression depends on earlier c-myc expression. If n-myc expression depends on c-myc, the expression c-myc but not n-myc expression in the CMZ is depends on growth factor signalling. Our results suggest that c-myc+/n-myc- cells in the far peripheral CMZ are candidates for a niche-dependent population of retinal stem cells that give rise to more centrally located and rapidly dividing n-myc+ progenitors of more limited proliferative potential. Analysis of homologues of these genes in zebrafish CMZ suggests that the transition from c-myc to n-myc expression might be conserved in other lower vertebrates whose retinas growth throughout life.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping