Whole genome expression profiling of normal human fetal and adult ocular tissues

To study growth and development of ocular tissues, gene expression patterns in normal human fetal versus adult eyes were compared. Human retina/retinal pigment epithelium, choroid, sclera, optic nerve* and cornea* tissues were dissected from fetal (24 week gestational age) (N = 9; *N = 6), and adult (N = 6) normal donor eyes. The Illumina(®) whole genome expression microarray platform was used to assess differential expression. Statistical significance for all comparisons was determined using the Benjamin and Hochberg False Discovery Rate (FDR, 5%). Significant gene expression fold changes > 1.5 were found in adult versus fetal retina/RPE (N = 1185), choroid (N = 6446), sclera (N = 1349), and cornea (N = 3872), but not optic nerve. Genes showing differential expression were assessed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) for enriched functions and canonical pathways. In all tissues, development, cell death/growth, cancer functions, and signaling canonical pathways were enriched. There was also a general trend of down-regulation of collagen genes in adult tissues.