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Determination

Determination

During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In contrast, determination...

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Preparation and Culture of Rat Lens Epithelial Explants for Studying Terminal Differentiation

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FGF signaling in chick lens development.

A C Le¹, L S Musil

¹Vollum Institute for Advanced Biomedical Research, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA.

Developmental Biology

|May 5, 2001

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chick lens cells differentiate with fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), contrary to prior beliefs. FGFs stimulate cell proliferation and fiber marker expression, independent of ERK kinases, offering new insights into lens development.

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Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cell Signaling
Ophthalmology

Background:

Prevailing concept: FGFs induce mammalian lens fiber differentiation, while chick lens cells respond to IGF/insulin-type factors.
Previous studies suggested chick lens cells are unresponsive to FGFs.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of FGFs in chick lens epithelial cell differentiation.
To explore the involvement of ERK kinases in growth factor-induced lens cell signaling.

Main Methods:

Primary cultures of embryonic chick lens epithelial cells were treated with recombinant FGFs.
Analysis of cell proliferation and expression of fiber differentiation markers (delta-crystallin, CP49).
Investigation of ERK kinase activation in response to FGF, insulin, and IGF-1.

Main Results:

FGFs stimulate proliferation and delta-crystallin/CP49 expression in chick lens cells after prolonged treatment (>5 h).
FGF-induced proliferation and delta-crystallin synthesis are ERK-kinase-independent.
ERK activation is essential for insulin/IGF-1-induced delta-crystallin expression.
A vitreous humor factor, consistent with FGF, induces delta-crystallin/CP49 expression in an ERK-insensitive manner.

Conclusions:

Differentiation in the chick lens is likely mediated by FGFs, challenging previous assumptions.
FGFs play a significant role in chick lens development.
Provides novel insights into the ERK pathway's role in growth factor signaling within the lens.