Mapping Canonical Wnt Signaling in the Developing and Adult Retina

Abstract

The TCF/Lef-LacZ transgene is a faithful reporter of canonical Wnt signaling in the retina. The pattern of TCF/Lef-LacZ reporter gene activation and of TCF/Lef transcription factor expression suggests that activation of the canonical Wnt pathway is developmental-stage dependent and is spatially modulated. Our findings also imply the involvement of this pathway in the specification and/or generation of ciliary epithelium, cellular differentiation, axon guidance, and connectivity to targets in the central nervous system and in the maintenance or function of specific retinal neurons in the adult.