Fatty acid-binding protein from embryonic chick retina resembles mammalian heart fatty acid-binding protein.

Abstract

Retinal FABP resembles the heart subtype of FABP (H-FABP) with respect to molecular weight, isoelectric point, and tissue distribution. However, as retinas do not use fatty acids for beta-oxidation, a process H-FABP is believed to participate in, there must be some other function for FABP in the chick eye, especially at early stages of development. In the mature retina, this function is apparently not needed, because there is little staining of the retina in adults but obvious immunoreactivity in the ciliary epithelium, implying some other role for FABP in this tissue.