Aim: To examine the α-Gal gene expression and distribution in the different species/genus and developing phase animal ocular surface tissue.
Methods: α-Gal binding assay were carried out on various animal eye sections. Photograph, slit-lamp observation on various eye showed normal corneal transparence.
Results: A strong α-Gal expression in invertebrates and some vertebrates ocular tissue, but no α-Gal binding in birds, fish and mammal. α-Gal expression change in the development of mice ocular surface tissue (except sclera) and display genus dependency in the different murine ocular surface tissue.
Conclusion: This study identified specific α-Gal epitopes binding area in the ocular surface of several species and may solve the problem that naive ocular surface may be used as natural α-Gal gene knockout model/high risk immunologic rejection model or ocular surface scaffold material.
Keywords: animal; ocular surface; tissue engineering; xenotransplantation; α-Gal.