查看文章

The purpose of this investigation was to find out whether C-terminally end-cleaved aquaporin 0 (AQP0), that is present predominantly in the lens mature fiber cells of the WT, functions as a water channel and a cell-to-cell adhesion (CTCA) protein in a knockin (KI) mouse model (AQP0^ΔC/ΔC) that does not express intact AQP0. A genetically engineered KI mouse model, AQP0^ΔC/ΔC, expressing only end-cleaved AQP0 was developed. This model expresses 1–246 amino acids of AQP0, instead of the full length 1–263 amino acids. Lens transparency of postnatal day 10 (P10) was analyzed qualitatively by dark field imaging. WT, AQP0^+/− and AQP0^+/ΔC lenses were transparent; AQP0^−/− and AQP0^ΔC/ΔC mouse lenses displayed loss of transparency. Lens fiber cell membrane vesicles (FCMVs) were prepared from wild type (WT), AQP0 heterozygous (AQP0^+/−), AQP0 knockout (AQP0^−/−), AQP0^+/ΔC and AQP0^ΔC …