Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Development 107, 123-130(1989) Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 1989 123 Insulin-like growth factor II may play a local role in the regulation of ocular size R. A. CUTHBERTSON1*, F. BECK2, P. V. SENIOR2, J. HARALAMBIDIS1, J. D. PENSCHOW1 and J. P. COGHLAN1 toward Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Victoria, Australia Department of Anatomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK 2 * Author for correspondence Summary The ultimate size and shape of the eye has a profound influence on its refraction and function. However, the role of growth factors in normal ocular development is poorly understood. Insulin-like growth factors IGF-I and -II have major effects on cell growth and differentiation in tissue culture. Recently their importance for in vivo development has been studied; IGF-II is predominant prenatally, with a probable local role in the differentiation of some mesodermally derived tissues. Ocular development and size is partially dictated by the condensation of the outer collagenous scleral coat (the 'white') of the eye from orbital mesoderm. We investigated IGF-II expression and IGF-II receptor distribution during normal ocular development in the mouse fetus using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. IGF-II mRNA was expressed by the loose mesenchymal orbital tissue as it differentiated to form the sclera, but not in the compact mature sclera or cornea, or in the ectodermally derived retina or skin. IGF-II gene expression was seen in the orbit at E14, reached a peak just before parturition and then declined to background levels after birth. Similarly, type 2 IGF receptors were shown with immunohistochemistry to be present on developing scleral cells and to be modulated in parallel with IGF-II mRNA expression. We suggest the IGF-II expression by differentiating cells that compact to form the collagenous ocular coat plays a local role in determining the ultimate shape and size of the developing eye. Introduction ocular growth and therefore ultimate ocular size may well depend on a locally acting growth factor or growth factors. The insulin-like growth factors IGF-I and -II are peptides homologous to insulin which have major effects on cell growth and differentiation in cell culture (Zapf et al. 1979; Baxter, 1986); and recently their importance for in vivo development has been studied (Brown et al. 1986; Lund et al. 1986). IGF-II is important prenatally, with a probable local role (autocrine and/or paracrine) in the differentiation of some mesodermally derived tissues (Hall and Sara, 1983; Hyldahl et al. 1986; Beck et al. 1987). Insulin and IGF-I have receptors that are homologous (Ullrich et al. 1986). Both the insulin and the type 1 IGF receptors have cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domains and share a heterotetrameric structure. The type 2 IGF receptor is a glycoprotein with quite a different structure (Kasuga et al. 1981), and is identical with the cation-dependent mannqse-6-phosphate (M6P) receptor, which has a probable role in the cellular transport of lysosomal Successful ocular function depends on a fine balance between refractive power and ocular size. If the eye is too long or the refractive power too high, myopia results. Conversely, hypermetropia results from an eye that has a short axial length compared with its refractive power. As the ultimate size and shape of the eye has a profound influence on its function, these parameters must be tightly regulated during ocular development. One possible level of regulation is by growth factors, peptide hormones that influence cell division and differentiation (Jost, 1960; Adamson, 1983; Heath and Roberts, 1985). Although the role of growth factors in systems such as haematopoiesis (Metcalf, 1984), the development of tissues derived from mesenchyme (Beck etal. 1987) and neuronal development (Crutcher, 1986) is now known in some detail, the function of growth factors in ocular development is poorly understood. While the notion that a single growth factor can dictate all aspects of eye development is simplistic, Key words: growth factors; eye growth; IGF-II; myopia. 124 R. A. Cuthbertson and others enzymes (Lobel et al. 1987). This receptor preferentially binds IGF-II (Kd = 1 nM) with higher affinity than IGF-I, but has no affinity for insulin. The physiological role of the type 2 IGF receptor is unclear (Gammeltoft, 1989). IGF-II has been shown to stimulate cell division and metabolism in vitro by interaction with the type 1 IGF receptor (Yu and Czech, 1984) and it has been suggested that the type 2 IGF receptor molecule might not propagate a signal after IGF-II binding (Roth, 1988) but might act as a local sump in an analogous way to the described IGF-II binding proteins (Zapf et al. 1979; Froesch et al. 1985). Very recently, however, it has been shown that M6P increases the affinity of the type 2 IGF receptor for IGF-II (Roth et al. 1987; MacDonald et al. 1988) and several in vitro responses have been reported following IGF-II binding to the type 2 IGF receptor. Production of anti-type 2 IGF receptor antibodies (Scott and Baxter, 1987; Hartshorn etal. 1989) has made it possible to map the distribution of these receptors in tissues using immunohistochemistry. Higher levels of both type 2 IGF receptor and circulating IGF-II peptide are found in developing animals compared with adults (Moses et al. 1980) suggesting that the receptor-ligand system may play an important role in the regulation of fetal development. Ocular size is physically defined by the sclera, the rigid, collagenous outermost coat of the eye. The sclera grows and differentiates as a condensation of the orbital mesoderm surrounding the optic cup during intrauterine life (Ozanics etal. 1976; Sellheyer and Spitznas, 1988). There has been debate as to whether the refractive state during eye development is under the direct control of environmental influences and, if so, what these influences might be (Sorsby et al. 1961; Banks, 1980; Wallman and Adams, 1987). Coulombre (1956) demonstrated that scleral growth is in some ways directed by the intraocular pressure. It has been shown in a variety of species that neonatal deprivation of visual form may induce myopia (Wiesel and Raviola, 1977; Sherman etal. 1977; Wallman etal. 1978). So, while the growth of the eye is physically defined by the sclera, there may be transduction of a signal produced by light falling on the developing neural retina, which regulates the growing outer ocular coats. We were interested in testing whether IGF-II might play a local role in the control of ocular growth by mapping both the site of expression of the IGF-II gene and the presence of type 2 IGF receptors, during murine ocular development. Materials and methods Hybridization histochemistry Swiss mouse embryos were collected at E14, E16 and E18 by counting from the day of appearance of vaginal plugs. The morning on which the vaginal plug was observed was taken as day zero of pregnancy. Specimens were also taken on the day of birth (E18/19) and from adult mice. Embryos were oriented in OCT compound (Lab Tek, Naperville, IL) and quickly frozen in a mixture of hexane and dry ice. 7/<m-thick frozen coronal sections through the developing eye were then thawed onto gelatine-coated slides and transferred to dry ice for 30 min to adhere the sections to the slides and inhibit ribonuclease activity. The sections were then fixed at 4°C for 5 min in 4 % glutaraldehyde and 20 % ethelyne glycol in ()• 1 Mphosphate buffer at pH7-3. Sections were prehybridized and stored for hybridization as previously described (Penschow et al. 1986). Synthesis of oligodeoxyribonudeotide probes To locate IGF-II mRNA, we used a 30-mer probe complementary to a part of the mRNA to rat IGF-11 (Whitfield et al. 1984), the details of which have previously been described (Beck et al. 1987). IGF-I was studied using a 30-mer probe complementary to a part of the mouse IGF-I mRNA (Bell et al. 1986; Beck et al. 1987). Both probes were synthesized using the solid-phase phosphosamidite procedure (Beaucage and Caruthers, 1981) on an Applied Biosystems Inc. 380A Automated DNA Synthesizer and purified on polyacrylamide gels. The sequences were selected for these probes specifically to eliminate cross hybridization. A 26-mer probe complementary to the predicted sequence of mouse rhodopsin mRNA (5'-AGC GTG AGG AAG TTG ATG GGG AAG CC-3') was synthesized from the published bovine and human sequences, using mouse preferred codons, for use as a control. 100 ng samples of each probe were 5'-end labelled with 20 pmol of gamma- [32P] ATP (Amersham) using 20 units of T4 polynucleotide kinase for 1 h. The labelled probe was purified on a Sephadex G-25 column, precipitated in ethanol with tRNA carrier, dried under vacuum and diluted to 400ngml~' in hybridization buffer. The specific activity obtained was in the order of 6-9xlO 8 counts min~' f.ig~l (2-3xlO 6 counts min"1 pmol"1). Hybridization Self-complementary interactions were minimized by heat denaturation of the probes at 90 °C immediately before application to coverslips over which the sections were then inverted. Hybridization was performed for 48 h in humidified chambers at 40°C. Slides were subsequently immersed in 2x standard saline citrate (0-3M-sodium chloride and 0-03 Msodium citrate) to dislodge the coverslips and then washed at 40°C in single-strength saline citrate for 30 min, rinsed in absolute ethanol and allowed to dry. At each stage of embryological development, additional sections were hybridized with IGF-1 and rhodopsin-specific control probes. Auto radiography Slides were taped to a backing sheet and exposed to Kodak X-Omat AR5 film (Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, NY) for 18 h in an X-ray cassette from which the intensification sheet had been removed. The signal obtained by this method served as a guide for subsequent autoradiography. The slides were then dipped using Ilford K5 emulsion (Ilford, Essex, England) diluted to 1/3 strength, exposed on average for one week, developed, fixed and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Dark-field photography was performed with matching bright-field exposures for orientation. Immunohistochemistry 5 /tm-thick sections were taken from the same specimens and air-dried for 2h at room temperature onto gelatine-coated slides. Sections were then fixed in 100% acetone at 4°C for lOmin, washed in 0-lM-phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (pH7-4) and stained using the immunoperoxidase technique. IGF-II and ocular size The primary antibody used was a purified rabbit anti-type 2 IGF receptor antibody prepared and characterized by Scott & Baxter (1987). A rabbit anti-human factor viii-related protein control primary antibody was also used (A082, Dakopatts, Denmark), as was a normal rabbit serum control. Sections were blocked by incubating with normal serum for 30min at room temperature. Rabbit anti-rat type 2 IGF receptor antiserum C-l was diluted 1:2000 in PBS with 0-5 % Triton X-100 and 200 jd incubated with the section for 1 h at room temperature in a humidified chamber. The samples were then washed in PBS and incubated with biotinylated second antibody (Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA) for 30 min and then nonspecific peroxidase activity was blocked by exposing sections to 0-2% hydrogen peroxide in 100% methanol for 30 min at room temperature. After rehydrating with PBS the sections were incubated with complex (Vector), washed in PBS and then exposed to 04 % 3-3' diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB) in 0-1 M-Tris buffer, pH7-2 for 4imin. Sections were washed in tap water and then staining was enhanced by incubation in 1 % copper sulphate solution, counterstained with haematoxylin, dehydrated through graded ethanols and mounted. Results Hybridization histochemistry As may be seen in Fig. 1 (A-E), the corneo-scleral unit formed by head mesodermal cells condensing and differentiating into keratinocytes and scleracytes. These cells then secreted collagen, elastin and other proteins to create the characteristic extracellular matrix. The formation of the extraocular muscles may also be seen (Fig. I D, E). Figure 2 (A-C) shows that by E14 the cells of the primitive sclera, in common with the rest of the orbital mesoderm, were expressing the gene for IGF-II. The expression seemed to intensify as the periocular mesoderm condensed and differentiated to form the future ocular outer coat (Fig. 2 A, B). The dense cellularity of the ectodermally derived neural retina provided an excellent negative control tissue. Hybridization with the IGF-1 and rhodopsin control probes was negative at this stage (Fig. 2 C). The cornea differentiated earlier than the posterior sclera. IGF-II expression, although present in the cornea at E14, was less intense than that of the posterior pole of the eye (Fig. 2 A, B). The apparent anteroposterior progression in the maturation of the ocular outer coat can be seen by comparing corneal to scleral signal in this figure, with the signal in Figures 3 and 4. In each case, the signal from the rest of the head mesenchyme provided a useful comparison. The intensity of IGF-II expression increased by E16 and appeared to peak at E18 (Figs 3, 4). Again, the developing retina was negative, but the developing sclera, the extraocular muscles and the retinal and hyaloid blood vessels traversing the optic nerve and entering the vitreous cavity, all showed high levels of IGF-II expression. As it had been at E14, hybridization with an IGF-I probe was negative (Fig. 3). By E18, the cornea did not express IGF-II at nearly the same level as the sclera. 125 IGF-II expression declined just after birth and was virtually undetectable in sclera in the neonatal mouse eye (Fig. 5 A, B), as opposed to rhodopsin mRNA, which could be demonstrated in the photoreceptor layer of the neonatal retina (Fig. 5C). Immunohistochemistry The type 2 IGF receptor was detectable on developing scleral cells at E14, but not on the cells of the developing neural retina. Using an antiserum to Factor viiirelated peptide, and using normal serum in place of first antibody, we showed that the scleral staining with the anti-type 2 IGF receptor antibody was specific. In a pattern similar to scleral IGF-II gene expression, type 2 IGF receptor staining increased to peak just before birth (Fig. 6), and then declined to very low levels in the adult sclera. Discussion We have shown that IGF-II expression by head mesoderm intensifies in the periocular mesoderm as it condenses and differentiates to form the outer collagenous coat of the developing eye. This expression rises from E14, to a peak before birth, and declines after parturition to undetectable levels in the neonate. The clear anterior cornea and the 'white' sclera are developmentally and anatomically the same layer, with their different optical properties determined by their ultrastructural arrangements. IGF-II expression appears to follow an anteroposterior wave, declining in the cornea and increasing posteriorly in the eye with advancing developmental age. We were not able to demonstrate a developmental time at which corneal expression of IGF-II exceeded expression by the sclera, but it is possible that this might occur prior to E14. This anteroposterior wave of IGF-II expression parallels the reported pattern of morphological scleral differentiation in humans (Sellheyer and Spitznas, 1988), which begins in the cornea and lags some days behind in the posterior sclera. Our observations also confirm those of Hyldahl et al. (1986) who showed, using Northern analysis, that IGF-II was expressed in the posterior part of the eye, but not in the cornea, at the end of the first trimester in the human foetus. We have also shown that the developing scleral cells contain significant levels of the type 2 IGF receptor protein during development which seems to follow the developmental progression of IGF-II mRNA production. The close anatomical proximity of cells expressing the IGF-II gene and IGF-II responsive cells during the phase of ocular growth leads us to propose an important local regulatory role for IGF-II in ocular development, an idea first proposed by Hyldahl et al. in 1986. Within this paracrine or autocrine system, the type 2 IGF receptor could function either as a biological transducer or as a sump to control local IGF-II levels (MacDonald et al. 1988). The regulation of eye growth, and its perturbation to produce disorders such as myopia, have excited signifi- 126 R. A. Cuthbertson and others V;'> :,Y/. V ia. UH^t //7S Fig. 1. The primitive sclera (s) and the extraocular muscles (eom) may be seen condensing and differentiating from the head mesoderm (meso) at E14 in the mouse (Fig. 1A). Bar= 120 f.im. By A7 the cornea (Fig. IB) and sclera (Fig. 1C) are well differentiated. Bar = 70//m. The condensation and alignment of mesodermal cells to form the primitive sclera (s) and the insertion of the extraocular muscles (eom) is more obvious at higher power (D and E). In D, the differentiating neuroblastic layer of the retina is seen (r) and around this the mesodermal cells (meso) condense to form the primitive sclera (s). E shows the differentiation of cells forming one of the extraocular muscles (eom), as the muscle inserts into the developing sclera (s). Bar = 30fim. cant research interest. In his classic series of experiments, Coulombre (1956) showed that a decrease in intraocular pressure in the developing chick eye caused the scleral outer coat, but not the retina, to stop growing. More recently Wallman etal. (1978) and other workers have shown that visual deprivation leads to myopia in the chick. That is, by occluding the whole retina or even half the retina from formed visual input with a white translucent shield during eye development, the deprived eye or eye segment continued to grow and became myopic. Thus both retinal function and intraocular pressure seem to dictate scleral growth. Coulombre pointed out that eye size was, as a first approximation, a balance between intraocular pressure (favouring expansion) and the resistance to expansion favoured by the sclera. Scleral resistance to expansion IGF-II and ocular size • • • " • " • 127 • • • * ^ ^v-; ^ Fig. 2. Hybridization histochemistry: the light-field picture (Fig. 2A) provides orientation, while the dark-field pictures reveal the distribution of silver grains over a section of mouse eye and orbit on the 14th day of embryological development probed with an oligonucleotide complementary to IGF-II (Fig. 2B) and IGF-I mRNAs (Fig. 2C). IGF-Il-positive cells may be seen in the orbital mesoderm and condensing sclera (Fig. 2B), while no positive hybridization with the IGF-I probe is detected (Fig. 2C). Bar= 130^m. ' • ^ ^ Fig. 3. By the eighteenth day of embryological development (Fig. 3A), the higher density of silver grains over the sclera compared with the cornea, when probed for IGF-II mRNA, is obvious (Fig. 3B). The extraocular muscles and the inner vascularizing part of the retina are also positive for IGF-II. As a further negative control, the section shown in (Fig. 3C) was treated with RNase A prior to hybridization with the IGF-II probe. This pretreatment abolished the positive hybridization. Bar = 200Jum. 128 R. A. Cuthbertson and others -.'• •!*£*'% Fig. 4. At higher power the positive IGF-II hybridization may be seen over the compacting sclera (s) and extraocular muscles (eom). Again, the developing neural retina (nr) provides a highly cellular negative control tissue. The marked hybridization along the optic nerve (on) and onto the inner surface of the retina (ir, arrows) follows the course of the central retinal artery and vein, and the developing retinal circulation. The outer retina, which shows no positive hybridization, is avascular. Bar = 70,u.m. depends primarily on the cessation of scleral cell division and the differentiation of scleral cells to produce extracellular proteins like collagen and elastin. Wallman and Adams (1987) have proposed that an active mechanism regulates eye growth in a manner dependent on refractive error. Therefore, at least in the chick, there appears to be a link between retinal function and the control of scleral growth. Our experiments suggest that part of this transduction mechanism may be local IGF-II acting in a permissive manner. By 'permissive' we mean that scleral cell growth may require the local action of IGF-II and that cessation of IGF-II and type 2 IGF receptor expression may coincide with terminal scleral cell differentiation. Even though mouse eyes do not open until 14 days after birth, light transmitted through the lids after parturition may provide the retinal signal responsible for terminating IGF-II and type 2 IGF receptor gene expression in the developing sclera. It is well known from morphological studies that the anterior cornea differentiates earlier than the posterior sclera (Ozanics et al. 1976). In a detailed electron microscopic study of human embryonic scleral development, Sellheyer and Spitznas (1988) showed that there was an anteroposterior pattern of scleral development in the human which could morphologically be defined. It has been suggested that a relative lack of posterior scleral differentiation, as measured by the delay in laying down extracellular components such as collagen and elastin, combined with intraocular pressure, may account for the continued eye elongation in myopia (Weale, 1982). We have demonstrated an anteroposterior pattern of IGF-II expression and type 2 IGF receptor expression, which spatially and temporally follows the sequence of tissue growth and differentiation. This is strikingly shown at EL8, when the corneal stromal cells, being highly differentiated, express little IGF-II compared with the relatively imma- " S eom Fig. 6. Immunoperoxidase staining of a developing eye at E17 using an antiserum to the type 2 IGF receptor. The cellular distribution of the receptor has the same pattern, being positive in the sclera (s) and the extraocular muscles (eom), as the expression of IGF-II mRNA. Bar = 70/«n. Fig. 5. By the eighth day after birth the sclera forms a well-defined differentiated layer (Fig. 5A). and the expression of IGF-II is markedly decreased (Fig. 5B). In contrast, probing this section for rhodopsin mRNA reveals expression of this gene in the developing outer segments of the photoreceptors (small arrows) inside the maturing sclera (larger arrows). 00 IGF-II and ocular size ture sclera and extraocular muscles, which express this gene at high levels. It seems that different epigenetic events may regulate IGF-II expression in a tissue-specific manner. It has previously been documented that most fully matured tissues of mesodermal origin (e.g. mature chondrocytes as opposed to the chondroblasts of the perichondrium) lose much of their ability to produce IGF-II mRNA (Beck et al. 1987; 1988a). IGF-II expression is diminished between 18 and 20 days postnatally in the rat liver, perhaps in response to a physiological surge in serum glucocorticoid levels (Beck et al. 19886), while other tissues such as the choroid plexus continue to express IGF-II and type 2 IGF receptors into adult life (Valentino et al. 1988). Light falling on the retina may constitute the tissue-specific stimulus for the developing sclera. Recently Morgan et al. (1987) have shown that a single receptor binds to both IGF-II and mannose-6phosphate. This latter receptor is thought to be involved in transport of lysozymal enzymes and is probably present to some degree in most living cells (MacDonald et al. 1988). However, the striking expression of the type 2 IGF receptor on developing scleral cells that we have shown immunohistochemically would seem to indicate some special role for this hormone receptor in eye development, apart from its ubiquitous metabolic function. Recent evidence suggests that IGF-II can promote cell proliferation via the specific type 2 IGF receptor (Tally et al. 1987), and a relationship between the number of type 2 cell surface receptors and cell division has been demonstrated (Scott and Baxter, 1987; Scott et al. 1988). Our results suggest the possibility of a light-dependent growth-regulating mechanism in the mouse that has the effect of controlling eyeball size during development. In view of the results of others showing that occluding retinal input may cause continued ocular growth (Wiesel and Raviolla, 1977; Sherman et al. 1977; Wallman and Adams, 1987), we speculate that light falling on local retinal regions after birth may control adjacent eye growth via a transduction mechanism, which includes the continued permissive effect of an IGF-Il/type 2 IGF receptor interaction in the developing sclera. We would like to thank Dr Carolyn Scott, University of Sydney, for the kind donation of her anti-type 2 IGF receptor antiserum. These studies were supported in part by grants-inaid from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Myer Family Trusts, and the Ian Potter Foundation. R.A.C. was further supported by the British Council and the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland. R.A.C. is an NH & MRC Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. References ADAMSON, E. D. (1983). Growth factors in development. In Biological Basis of Reproductive & Developmental Medicine, (ed. J.B. Warshaw), pp. 307-336. London: Edward Arnold. BANKS, M. S. (1980). Infant refraction and accomodation. In 129 Electrophysiology and Psychophysics: Their Use in Ophthalmic Diagnosis, (ed. S. Sokol). Int. Ophthalmol. Clin. 20, 205. BAXTER, R. C. (1986). The somatomedins: insulin-like growth factors. Adv. Clin. Chem. 25, 49-115. BEAUCAGE, S. L. & CARUTHERS, M. H. (1981). Deoxynucleoside phosphoramidites - a new class of key intermediates of deoxypolynucleotide synthesis. Tetrahedron Lett. 22, 1859-1862. BECK, F., SAMANI, N. J., BYRNE, S., MORGAN, K., GEBHARD, R. & BRAMMAR, W. J. (1988<J). Histochemical localization of IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA in the rat between birth and adulthood. Development 104, 29-39. BECK, F., SAMANI, N. J., PENSCHOW, J. D . , THORLEY, B . , TREGEAR, G. W. & COGHLAN, J. P. (1987). Histochemical localization of IGF-I and -II mRNA in the developing rat embryo. Development 101, 175-184. BECK, F., SAMANI, N. J., SENIOR, P., BYRNE, S., MORGAN, K., GEBHARD, R. & BRAMMAR, W. J. (19886). Control of IGF-II mRNA levels by glucocorticoids in the neonatal rat. J. molec. Endocr. 1, R5-R8. BELL, G. I., STAMPIEN, M. M., FONG, N. M. & RALL, L. B. (1986). The sequences of cDNAs encoding two different mouse insulinlike growth factor/precursors. Nucleic Acids Research 14, 7873-7882. BROWN, A. L., GRAHAM, D. E., NISSLEY, S. P., HILL, D. J., STRAIN, A. J. & RECHLER, M. M. (1986). Developmental regulation of insulin like growth factor II mRNA in different rat tissues. J. biol. Chem. 261, 13144-13150. COULOMBRE, A. J. (1956). The role of intraocular pressure in the development of the chick eye. I. Control of eye size. J. exp. Zool. 133, 211-225. CRUTCHER, K. A. (1986). The role of growth factors in neuronal development and plasticity. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Neurobiology 2, 297-333. FROESCH, E. R., SCHMID, C. H., SCHWANDER, J. & ZAPF, J. (1985). Actions of insulin-like growth factors. A. Rev. Physiol. 47, 443-467. GAMMELTOFT, S. (1989). Insulin-like growth factors and insulin: gene expression, receptors and biological actions. In Prohormones, Hormones and their Fragments: Processing, Biological Activity and Pharmacology, (ed. J. Martinez), pp. 176-210. England: Ellis Horwood. HALL, K. & SARA, V. R. (1983). Growth and somatomedins. In Vitamins and Hormones, vol. 40, pp.175-233. New York: Academic Press. HARTSHORN, M. A., SCOTT, C. D. & BAXTER, R. C. (1989). Immunofluorescent localization of type II insulin-like growth factor receptor in rat liver and hepatoma cells. J. Endocrinol. 121, 221-227. HEATH, J. K. & ROBERTS, A. R. (1985). Growth factors in mammalian embryogenesis. In Growth Factors in Biology and Medicine, Ciba Foundation Symposium, vol. 116, pp.3-14. London: Pitman. HYLDAHL, L., ENGSTROM, W. & SCHOFIELD, P. N. (1986). Stimulatory effects of insulin-like growth factors on DNA synthesis in the human embryonic cornea. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 98, 71-83. JOST, A. (1960). The role of fetal hormones in prenatal development. Harvey Lectures 55, 201-226. KASUGA, M., VAN OBBERGHEN, E., NISSLEY, S. P. & RECHLER, M. M. (1981). Demonstration of two sub-types of insulin-like growth factor receptors by affinity cross-linking. J. biol. Chem. 256, 5306-5308. LOBEL, P., DAHMS, N. M., BREITMEYER, J., CHIRGWIN, J. M. & KORNFELD, S. (1987). Cloning the bovine 215-kDa cationindependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 2233-2237. LUND, P. K., MOATS-STAATS, M., HYNES, M. A., SIMMONS, J. G., JANSEN, M., D'ERCOLE, A. J. & VAN WYK, J. J. (1986). Somatomedin C/insulin like growth factor I and insulin like growth factor II mRNAs in rat fetal and adult tissues. J. biol. Chem. 261, 14539-14 544. MACDONALD, R. G., PFEFFER, S. R., COUSSENS, L., TEPPER, M. A., BROCKLEBANK, C. M., MOLE, J. E., ANDERSON, J. K.. CHEN. E., CZECH, M. P. & ULLRICH, A. (1988). A single receptor binds 130 R. A. Cuthbertson and others both insulin-like growth factor II and mannose-6-phosphate. Science 239, 1134-1137. METCALF, D. (1984). The Hemopoietic Colony Stimulating Factors. Amsterdam: Elsevier. MORGAN, D. O., EDMAN, J. C , STANDRING, D. N., FRIED, V. A., SMITH, M. C , ROTH, R. A. & RUTTER, W. J. (1987). Insulin-like growth factor II receptor as a multifunctional binding protein. Nature, Lond. 329, 301-307. MOSES, A. C , NISSLEY, S. P., SHORT, P. S., RECHLER, M. M., WHITE, R. M., KNIGHT, A. B. & HIGA, O. Z. (1980). Increased levels of multiplication stimulating activity, or insulin-like growth factor, in fetal rat serum. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 3649-3653. OZANICS, V., RAYBORN, M. & SAGUN, D. (1976). Some aspects of corneal and scleral differentiation in the primate. Expl Eye Res. 22, 305-327. PENSCHOW, J. D . , HARALAMBIDIS, J., ALDRED, P., TREGEAR, G. W. & COGHLAN, J. P. (1986). Location of gene expression in the CNS using hybridization histochemistry. Methods in Enzymology 124, 534-548. ROTH, R. A. (1988). Structure of the receptor for insulin-like growth factor II: the puzzle amplified. Science 239, 1269-1271. ROTH, R. A., STOVER, C , HARI, J., MORGAN, D . O., SMITH, M. C , SARA, V. & FRIED, V. A. (1987). Interactions of the receptor for insulin-like growth factor II with mannose-6-phosphate and antibodies to the mannose-6-phosphate precursor. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 149, 600-606. SCOTT, C. D. & BAXTER, R. C. (1987). Purification and immunological characterization of the rat liver insulin-like growth factor-II receptor. Endocrinology 120, 1-9. SCOTT, C. D . , TAYLOR, J. E. & BAXTER, R. C. (1988). Differential regulation of insulin-like growth factor II receptors in rat hepatocytes and hepatoma cells. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 151, 815-821. SELLHEYER, K. & SPITZNAS, M. (1988). Development of the human sclera: a morphological study. Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 226, 89-100. SORSBY, A., BENJAMIN, B. & SHERADIN, M. (1961). Refraction and its Components During the Growth of the Eye from the Age of Three. Medical Research Council, London. TALLY, M., L I , C. H. & HALL, K. (1987). IGF-II stimulated growth mediated by the somatomedin type II receptor. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 148, 811-816. ULLRICH, A., GRAY, A., TAM, A. W., YANG-FENG, T., TSUBOKAWA, M., COLLINS, C , HENZEL, W., LEBON, T., KATHURIA, S., CHEN, E., JACOBS, S., FRANKE, U., RAMACHANDRAN, J. & FUJITA- YAMAGUCHI, Y. (1986). Insulin-like growth factor I receptor primary structure: comparison with insulin receptor suggests structural determinants that define functional specificity. EMBO J. 5, 2503-2512. VALENTINO, K. L., PHAM, H., OCRANT, I. & ROSENFELD, R. G. (1988). Distribution of Insulin-like growth factor II receptor immunoreactivity in rat tissue. Endocrinology 122, 2753-2763. WALLMAN, J. & ADAMS, J. I. (1987). Developmental aspects of experimental myopia in chicks: susceptibility, recovery and relation to emmetropization. Vision Research 27, 1139-1163. WALLMAN, J., TURKEL, J. & TRACHTMAN, J. (1978). Extreme myopia produced by modest changes in early visual experience. Science, N.Y. 201, 1249-1251. WEALE, R. A. (1982). A Biography of the Eye. London: Lewis. WHITFIELD, H. J., BRUNI, C. B., FRUNZIO, R., TERRELL, J. E., NISSLEY, S. P. & RECHLER, M. M. (1984). Isolation of a cDNA clone encoding rat insulin-like growth factor-II precursor. Nature, Lond. 312, 277-280. WIESEL, T. N. & RAVIOLA, E. (1977). Myopia and eye enlargement after neonatal lid fusion in monkeys. Nature, Lond. 266, 66-68. Yu, K. T. & CZECH, M. P. (1984). The type I insulin-like growth factor receptor mediates the rapid effects of multiplicationstimulating activity on membrane transport systems in rat soleus muscle. J. biol. Chem. 259, 3090-3095. ZAPF, J., SCHOENLE, E., JAGARS, G., SAND, I., GRUNWALD, J. & FROESCH, E. R. (1979). Inhibition of the action of nonsuppressible insulin-like activity on isolated rat fat cells by binding to its carrier protein. J. Clin. Invest. 63, 1077-1084. SHERMAN, S. M., NORTON, T. T. & CASAGRANDE, V. A. (1977). Myopia in the lid-sutured tree shrew (Tupaia glis). Brain Res. 124, 154-157. {Accepted 20 June 1989)