Expression of M-opsin mRNA and L-opsin mRNA in fetal and adult human retinas.

(A) 20 μm sections of 122-day-old and 130-day-old human fetal retinas. M-opsin (blue) and L-opsin (pink). White arrow indicates L-opsin-expressing cell. (B) Quantification of % M and L cones in 122-day-old and 130-day-old human fetal retinas. (C–F) M- and L-opsin mRNA expression in developing human fetal retinas and adult retinas. Values indicate total pileup count, normalized to total read count. Each data point indicates detection of M- or L-opsin mRNAs, based an individual nucleotide difference. N = 1 for each time point, except 94–2 where N = 2. 52/54 = exact date is unclear. Analyzed from [16,17]. Original data sets are in S2 Data. (C) M-opsin mRNA in fetal retinas. (D) L-opsin mRNA in fetal retinas. (E) M-opsin mRNA in adult retinas. (F) L-opsin mRNA in adult retinas. (G) Schematic of adult human retina with regions isolated using a 5 mm biopsy punch. White circle = optic nerve. Red lines = blood vessels. Yellow circle = macular pigment. (H–J) 20 μm sections were probed for M-opsin (blue) and L-opsin (pink) mRNA. (K) Average ratios of M and L cones as percent of M/L total cones across 3 individuals. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test: Center L versus Middle L = no significance; Center L versus Periphery L p < 0.01; Middle L versus Periphery L p < 0.01. ** Indicates p < 0.01. Original data sets are in S2 Data.