Monoclonal antibodies facilitate analyses of ocular development in mice.

To clarify molecular fluctuations during ocular development, we prepared monoclonal antibodies named MAb 111 and MAb 23 which bound differentially to the neural retina, pigmented epithelium, iris and ciliary body. In newborn mice, MAb 111 bound to the pigmented epithelium including the retinal pigmented epithelium, the pigmented layer of the ciliary epithelium and the outer layer of the iris epithelium. MAb 111 also bound to the non-pigmented layer of the ciliary epithelium and the inner layer of the iris epithelium. MAb 23 bound to the neural retina, the pigmented layer of the ciliary epithelium and the outer layer of the iris epithelium. Using these two monoclonal antibodies, we performed immunohistochemical analyses on developing mouse eyes and reached the conclusion that the optic cup has already been determined to differentiate into the retina, ciliary body and iris, on the 15th day of gestation, when the ciliary body and iris are not morphologically demarcated.