Islet-1 immunoreactivity in the developing retina of Xenopus laevis.

ScientificWorldJournal

Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz, Spain.

Published: September 2014

AI Article Synopsis

  • The LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) is a key marker for neuronal differentiation in the developing visual systems of various vertebrates.
  • New research focused on Xenopus laevis (a type of frog) showed that Isl1-positive cells first appeared in the retina at early developmental stages, specifically around St29-30, and increased significantly by St35-36.
  • The study suggests that Isl1 plays a crucial role in the differentiation and maintenance of various retinal cell types, making it a valuable marker for understanding retinal development in Xenopus laevis.

Article Abstract

The LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) has been widely used as a marker of neuronal differentiation in the developing visual system of different classes of vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. In the present study, we analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of Isl1-immunoreactive cells during Xenopus laevis retinal development and its relation to the formation of the retinal layers, and in combination with different markers of cell differentiation. The earliest Isl1 expression appeared at St29-30 in the cell nuclei of sparse differentiating neuroblasts located in the vitreal surface of the undifferentiated retina. At St35-36, abundant Isl1-positive cells accumulated at the vitreal surface of the neuroepithelium. As development proceeded and through the postmetamorphic juveniles, Isl1 expression was identified in subpopulations of ganglion cells and in subsets of amacrine, bipolar, and horizontal cells. These data together suggest a possible role for Isl1 in the early differentiation and maintenance of different retinal cell types, and Isl1 can serve as a specific molecular marker for the study of retinal cell specification in X. laevis.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3844241PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/740420DOI Listing

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