Insights in Ophthalmology

Eye Development and Control Mechanisms

Three groups of genes control morphogenesis of the eye: the genes responsible for eye rudiment formation, neurogenic genes, and proneural genes. In the eye rudiments of Drosophila and vertebrates, the homologous regulatory homeobox-containing genes ey/Pax6, so/Six3, rx/Rx, and optix/Optx2 are expressed. Transcription factors encoded by these conservative genes are involved in specific interactions with DNA. Another set of homologous genes, eya/Eya and dac/DACH/Dac, is also expressed during this developmental period. These genes encode nuclear transcription factors that are devoid of DNA-binding domains but are involved in the protein-protein interactions that control gene expression.