ROLE OF THE RPE IN DISK MEMBRANE RENEWAL

本项目的长期目标是了解 视网膜色素上皮（RPE）细胞和 感光细胞在感光盘的正常更新中起着重要作用 膜，以及如何通过将视网膜与视网膜分离来影响更新。 RPE。 视网膜的几种重要功能及其代谢过程 感光细胞依赖于视网膜与健康视网膜的并置， RPE细胞 在形态和功能上的显著变化 光感受器细胞可以通过将视网膜从RPE中分离出来而产生 或影响RPE细胞的营养不良。 的后果 体内的变化可能是不可逆的，并且由此导致的视力丧失可能 成为永久性的。 光感受器和视网膜色素上皮细胞产生变化的病因学 视网膜脱离的视网膜色素上皮是未知的。 在器官文化中 模型，我们发现，分离爪蟾视网膜从RPE的结果， 椎间盘膜的异常形态发生。 相比之下， 共培养的附着视网膜是正常的（如通过几种方法测量的）。 形态测定技术）。 该项目的具体目标是 来回答几个问题， 视网膜色素上皮可能参与盘膜的调节 组装和形态发生：1）是细胞代谢，基因 光感受器的表达和蛋白质合成受到影响？2)什么 基本的细胞生物学机制是通过将视网膜从 视网膜色素上皮导致异常的磁盘组装和形态发生？3)是影响 分离培养的视网膜从视网膜色素上皮可逆， 重新建立与RPE的联系或通过恢复潜在的水平 视网膜下腔中常见的营养因子

The long term objective of this project is to understand the role that communication between retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and photoreceptor cells plays in the normal renewal of photoreceptor disk membranes, and how renewal is affected by isolating the retina from the RPE. Several Important functions and metabolic processes of retinal photoreceptor cells depend upon the apposition of the retina with healthy RPE cells. Pronounced changes In the morphology and function of photoreceptor cells can be produced by Isolating the retina from the RPE or by dystrophies that affect RPE cells. The consequences of such changes in vivo may be irreversible, and the resulting loss of vision may be permanent. The etiology of changes produced in photoreceptors and RPE cells by retinal detachment from the RPE are not known. In an organ culture model, we find that isolating Xenopus retinas from the RPE results in aberrant morphogenesis of disk membranes. In contrast, disk assembly in co-cultured attached retinas is normal (as measured by several morphometric techniques). The specific aims of this project are Intended to answer several questions about the critical role that apposition of the retina with the RPE may play in the regulation of disk membrane assembly and morphogenesis: 1) Are processes of cell metabolism, gene expression and protein synthesis in photoreceptors affected? 2) What basic cell biological mechanisms are modified by isolating retinas from the RPE to cause abnormal disk assembly and morphogenesis? 3) Are effects of Isolating cultured retinas from the RPE reversible, either by re-establishing contact with the RPE or by restoring levels of potential trophic factors normally found in the subretinal space?