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#L-Maf

2 public questions tagged with this topic.

Eye Lens Induction -l

What is the role of L-Maf in lens formation?

L-Maf, member of large Maf family containing bZIP domain, executes terminal lens fiber differentiation after early Pax6/Sox2 specification. It accumulates in equatorial lens epithelium where FGF gradient is high, binding MARE sequences in delta-crystallin enhancer and alphaA-crystallin promoter, strongly transactivating them. L-Maf knockout chick lacks crystallin accumulation and shows defective fiber elongation. It works synergistically with Sox2 and Prox1 to drive cytoskeletal changes and gap junction formation for transparency. Thus L-Maf links extracellular FGF signal to structural gene output essential for refractive properties of lens, not vesicle induction itself.

Ref: Reza and Yasuda 2004, Intl J Dev Biol Chapter: Lens differentiation and crystallin regulation - L-Maf regulates delta-crystallin.

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Eye Lens Induction -ll

What is the role of L-Maf in lens formation?

L-Maf, a large Maf bZIP transcription factor expressed in lens placode downstream of Pax6, Sox2, and FGF-BMP signaling, directly regulates crystallin genes essential for transparency. L-Maf binds Maf recognition elements in delta-crystallin enhancer in chick and alphaA-crystallin promoter in mammals, activating high-level expression during fiber cell elongation and organelle loss. It does not induce optic vesicle formation, inhibit Sox2, or prevent corneal differentiation. L-Maf knockout lenses show severe deficiency in crystallin accumulation and fiber elongation arrest, confirming its central role in regulating structural lens genes and differentiation.

Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, 12th ed., Chapter 12: L-Maf regulation of delta-crystallin and lens fiber genes.

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