Conditional mutations of β-Catenin and APC reveal roles for canonical Wnt signaling in lens differentiation

Abstract

PURPOSE. Previous studies indicate that the Wnt/β-catenin-signaling pathway is active and functional during murine lens development. In this study, the consequences of constitutively activating the pathway in lens during development were investigated. METHODS. To activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling, β-catenin (Catnb) and adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) genes were conditionally mutated in two Cre lines that are active in whole lens (MLR10) or only in differentiated fibers (MLR39), from E13.5. Lens phenotype in mutant lenses was investigated by histology, immunohistochemistry, BrdU labeling, quantitative RT-PCR arrays, and TUNEL. RESULTS. Only intercrosses with MLR10 resulted in ocular phenotype..