Objective To identify and compare melanin distribution in iris and skin tissues of rabbits from four breeds including WHBE rabbit. Methods Ferrous sulphate staining was performed for iris and skin tissue of rabbits from different breeds. Results It showed dark green staining in both iris stroma and iris pigment epithelium of WHBE rabbit, while light green staining was observed in its follicles. Conclusion The results of histologic evaluations provide some clues to the future research on mechanism of WHBE rabbit phenotype mutation.
[1] Anderson MG1, Hawes NL, Trantow CM, et al. Iris phenotypes and pigment dispersion caused by genes influencing pigmentation[J]. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res.,2008,21(5):565-578.
[2] Eagle RC Jr, Font RL, Yanoff M, et al. Proliferative endotheliopathy with iris abnormalities. The iridocorneal endothelial syndrome[J]. Arch Ophthalmol, 1979, 97(11):2104-11.
[3] Slominski A, Wortsman J, Tobin DJ. The cutaneous serotoninergic/melatoninergic system: securing a place under the sun[J]. FASEB J 2005, 19:176-94.
[4] Chen K, Minwalla L, Ni L, et al. Correction of defective early tyrosinase processing by bafilomycin A1 and monensin in pink-eyed dilution melanocytes[J]. Pigment Cell Res, 2004, 17: 36-42.
[5] Deacon SW, Nascimento A, Serpinskaya AS, et al. Regulation of bidirectional melanosome transport by organelle bound MAP kinase[J]. Curr Biol, 2005, 15: 459-463.
[6] Li XD, Ikebe R, Ikebe M. Activation of myosin Va function by melanophilin, a specific docking partner of myosin Va[J]. J Biol Chem, 2005, 280: 17815-22.