Figure 6.

Model demarking the stages of retinal vasculature development and genetic determinants in zebrafish. Shown are fluorescent micrographs of partially dissected eyes from Tg(fli1:EGFP) fish showing the hyaloid and retinal vasculature in larvae and adult. Hyaloid vessels first appear attached to the back of the lens at 48 hpf and grow rapidly to reach the front of the lens at 3 dpf. In the adult, vessels are found associated with the inner surface of the retina. Insets are 3D models of this process where vessels have been coloured in green, retinas in pink and lens in white. Genes identified in our analysis to affect retinal vasculature development at different stages are boxed in green and genes unrelated to retinal vessels development are boxed in grey. ECM genes: red; lens/retina genes: blue. CHOR: choroidal vasculature; RPE: retinal pigmented epithelium; NR: neuro-retina; IOC: inner optic circle.