Figure 6.

Blockade of Notch pathway with DAPT prevents TGFβ2-induced ASC in vitro. Rat lenses were cultured in the absence or presence of TGFβ2 with DAPT (5.0 μM) or DMSO for 7 days. (a) Representative dissecting microscope images of the morphological changes of the lenses cultured for 7 days (n=12 lenses per group). (b) Representative confocal microscopy images of frozen sections staining for α-SMA, Col IV, FN and vimentin (n=6 lenses per group). Scale bar, 20 μm. (c) Quantification of the area of α-SMA, Col IV, FN and vimentin per field (n=24 randomized fields per group). **P<0.01. (d) Seven days later, the lenses were harvested for real-time PCR analysis of α-SMA, Col I, FN, Snail and Slug mRNA levels (n=6 lenses per group). *P<0.05; **P<0.01. (e) Western blot analysis of α-SMA, FN and Col I protein levels in lenses