Study of key components of signaling pathways in retinal pigment epithelial cells that coordinate retinal regeneration and pathologies

    Abstract

    L.M. Balashova, E.A. Bogomolova, L.A. Kolokolova, S.V. Lesovoy, V.N. Simirsky, Yu.V. Markitantova

    Study of key components of signaling pathways in retinal pigment epithelial cells that coordinate retinal regeneration and pathologies

    International Scientific and Practical Center for Tissue Proliferation, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Separate structural unit Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital FGAOU HE RNIM N.I. Pirogov, Ministry of Health of Russia

    Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University)

    Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences

    A number of diseases (proliferative retinopathy, macular degeneration of the retina, diabetic retinopathy) associated with dysfunction and death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, neurons and retinal glia are based on disturbances in the transmission of signals that coordinate cellular processes. Comparative bioinformatics analysis of signaling pathways in human RPE cells has revealed genes common to and specific for the Tgfb and Bmp4 signaling pathways and involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

    Animals with high regenerative abilities, in particular, tailed amphibians, serve as models for studying the mechanisms of cellular processes of retinal regeneration (differentiation, migration, proliferation, death and viability of cells). Experimental approaches using in vivo and in vitro models allow identifying signaling molecules that regulate the processes of retinal regeneration and degeneration.

    The present work includes a comparative study of the retina of tailed amphibians for the localization of signaling proteins, which are key components of regulatory signaling pathways, in retinal cells during its regeneration, in comparison with cells of native tissue.

    Keywords: retinal pigment epithelium; retinal regeneration; signaling proteins; tailed amphibians