Abstract

The Nkx homeodomain proteins play a role in cell type specification and/or maintenance of the differentiated phenotype. To investigate its expression, BAB/C mice were set up for timed mating. All specimens were cryosectioned, the TKE2 cell in two different media were collected for immunohistochemical staining and the cornea from all the time-points of postnatal mice were used for western blotting. We found that NKX2.2 was absent in embryonic stage and began to increase from P15. The expression is similar to that in human cornea epithelia and weak in limbus but strong in adult stage. Our study demonstrates that NKX2.2 expression is developmentally regulated in cornea epithelial cells, and regulated in the differentiation of cornea epithelial cells.

Key words: Nkx2.2, cornea, development, differentiation.