IN-VITRO STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF PARAORBIT AL MI(WH) MI(WH) MESENCHYMEON MELANOGENESIS OF THE RETINAL-PIGMENT EPITHELIUM OF MOUSE EMBRYOS/

The effects of paraorbital +/+ and Mi(wh)/Mi(wh) mesenchyme (PM) on me lanogenesis of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of mouse embryos. The eye anlages of 10-day old +/+ and Mi(wh)/Mi(wh) mouse embryos were co-cultured in vitro during eight days. All eye anlages of +/+ genoty pe without PM co-cultured with anlages of +/+ genotype with PM develop ed a pigmentation of RPE. However, the eye anlages of +/+ genotype wit hout PM and the eye anlages of Mi(wh)/Mi(wh) genotype with PM when co- cultured did not develop pigmentation of RPE. These results indicate t hat mutant allele Mi(wh) of locus mi changes the properties of PM whic h in mutant embryos does not exert the normal melanogenesis-promoting effect in relation to RPE. genotype with PM when co-cultured did not d evelop pigmentation of RPE.