VEGF 165b in the developing vasculatures of the fetal human eye

VEGF165b is an anti-angiogenic form of VEGF165 produced by alternative splicing. The localization of pro-angiogenic VEGF165 and anti-angiogenic VEGF165b was investigated during development of the vasculatures in fetal human eyes from 7 to 21 weeks gestation (WG). The fetal vasculature of vitreous, which includes tunica vasculosa lentis (TVL), had moderate VEGF165 immunoreactivity at 7WG and very little VEGF165b. Both forms were elevated at 12WG. VEGF165 then decreased around 17WG when the TVL regresses but VEGF165b remained elevated. In choroid, VEGF165 was present in forming choriocapillaris (CC) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at 7WG while VEGF165b was present in CC and mesenchymal precursors within the choroidal stroma. By 21WG, both forms were elevated in RPE and choroidal blood vessels but VEGF165b was apical and VEGF165 basal in RPE. Diffuse VEGF165 immunoreactivity was prominent in 12WG innermost retina where blood vessels will form while VEGF165b was present in most CXCR4+ progenitors in the inner neuroblastic layer and migrating angioblasts in the putative nerve fiber layer. By 21WG, VEGF165 was present in nerve fibers and VEGF165b in the inner Muller cell process. The localization of VEGF165b was distinctly different from VEGF165 both spatially and temporally and it was often associated with nucleus in progenitors. Developmental Dynamics 241:595–607, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.