ZFIN Person: Kainz, Pamela

ZFIN ID: ZDB-PERS-990216-2

ZFIN ID: ZDB-PERS-990216-2

Kainz, Pamela

URL:
Affiliation:
Address:	Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Harvard University 16 Divinity Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Country:
Phone:	(617) 495-2599
Fax:	(617) 496-3321
ORCID ID:

BIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

Coming from a background in human color vision, I was immediately impressed by the cone photoreceptor system in the zebrafish retina. There are four spectrally distinct cone types (red, green, blue and UV), and they are arranged in a highly organized mosaic. I'm interested in the factors required in the generation and maintenance of the strict pattern of cones as well as the anatomy of the cone/color pathways within the retina. My approach toward gaining a better understanding of both issues involves studying 'colorblind' zebrafish mutants - those missing one class of cones - and evaluating how their retinas differ from wild type. If one cone type is missing, what effect does it's absence have on the patterning within the retinal mosaic? Furthermore, does the absence of one cone type's input have a corresponding effect on the second order neurons, or, the ultrastructure within the outer plexiform layer, the first relay station of color information? I'm currently using a behavioral assay based on the optokinetic response of zebrafish larvae to identify 'colorblind' mutants.

PUBLICATIONS

Kainz, P.M., Adolph, A.R., Wong, K.Y., and Dowling, J.E. (2003) Lazy eyes zebrafish mutation affects Müller glial cells, compromising photoreceptor function and causing partial blindness. The Journal of comparative neurology. 463(3):265-280

Perkins, B.D., Kainz, P.M., O'Malley, D.M., and Dowling, J.E. (2002) Transgenic expression of a GFP-rhodopsin COOH-terminal fusion protein in zebrafish rod photoreceptors. Visual neuroscience. 19(3):257-264

Link, B.A., Kainz, P.M., Ryou, T., and Dowling, J.E. (2001) The perplexed and confused mutations affect distinct stages during the transition from proliferating to post-mitotic cells within the zebrafish retina. Developmental Biology. 236(2):436-453

Kainz, P.M. and Dowling, J.E. (2001) A novel photoreceptor cell mutation in zebrafish. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science. 42(4):4096

NON-ZEBRAFISH PUBLICATIONS
Neitz, J., Neitz, M. and Kainz, P.M. (1996) Visual pigment gene structure and the severity of color vision defects. Science, 274, 801-804.

Kainz, P.M., Neitz, M. and Neitz, J. (1998) Genetic detection of female carriers of protan defects. Vision Research, 263, 3365-3369.

Kainz, P.M., Neitz, J. and Neitz, M. (1998) Recent evolution of New World trichromacy. Vision Research, 263, 3315-3320.

Shevell, S.K., He, J.C., Kainz, P.M., Neitz, J. and Neitz, M. (1998) Variation in color discrimination and photopigment genes among deutan observers. Vision Research, 263, 3377-3385.

Kainz, P.M., Neitz, J., Sjoberg, S., Hagstrom, S.A. and Neitz, M. (submitted) X-chromosome visual pigment gene order, expression and color vision phenotype.