The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) contacts intimately with photoreceptors (PR) and supports their activity; RPE disfunction or detachment leads to degeneration of the neural retina and loss of vision. In spite of its importance, the molecular basis of RPE-PR interaction remain unknown. Previous data from our laboratory and by others indicate that disruption of this interaction leads to alterations in the polarity of RPE. The long term goal of this proposal is to understand the mechanisms that generate surface polarity in RPE and how PR-RPE contacts induce reversed distributions of RPE membrane proteins with regard to those observed in most other epithelia. Using biochemical and morphological polarity assays developed by our laboratory, we will determine the respective roles of intracellular sorting and surface immobilization by the ankyrin-fodrin cytoskeleton in the apical distribution of Na,K-ATPase and neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM). Studies will be carried out in a polarized RPE cell line developed by our laboratory RPE-J) primary RPE cultures and RPE in situ. A variety of approaches will be employed to determine the putative inductive role of the neural retina and/or interphotoreceptor matrix in the apical localization of N-CAM and Na,K-ATPase. It is expected that these studies will contribute fundamental information on the role of RPE in normal and abnormal visual function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32EY006669-02
Application #
2378049
Study Section
Visual Sciences C Study Section (VISC)
Project Start
1997-03-01
Project End
Budget Start
1997-03-01
Budget End
1998-02-28
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
201373169
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10065
Marmorstein, A D; Csaky, K G; Baffi, J et al. (2000) Saturation of, and competition for entry into, the apical secretory pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97:3248-53
Marmorstein, A D; Gan, Y C; Bonilha, V L et al. (1998) Apical polarity of N-CAM and EMMPRIN in retinal pigment epithelium resulting from suppression of basolateral signal recognition. J Cell Biol 142:697-710
Dunn, K C; Marmorstein, A D; Bonilha, V L et al. (1998) Use of the ARPE-19 cell line as a model of RPE polarity: basolateral secretion of FGF5. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 39:2744-9
Marmorstein, A D; Finnemann, S C; Bonilha, V L et al. (1998) Morphogenesis of the retinal pigment epithelium: toward understanding retinal degenerative diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci 857:1-12
Bonilha, V L; Marmorstein, A D; Cohen-Gould, L et al. (1997) Apical sorting of influenza hemagglutinin by transcytosis in retinal pigment epithelium. J Cell Sci 110 ( Pt 15):1717-27
Finnemann, S C; Marmorstein, A D; Neill, J M et al. (1997) Identification of the retinal pigment epithelium protein RET-PE2 as CE-9/OX-47, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 38:2366-74
Finnemann, S C; Bonilha, V L; Marmorstein, A D et al. (1997) Phagocytosis of rod outer segments by retinal pigment epithelial cells requires alpha(v)beta5 integrin for binding but not for internalization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 94:12932-7