I am researching the role that heat shock proteins play in lens formation during Astyanax development. My initial results suggest that the activities of two lens-expressed molecules, Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90a) and Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), may significantly affect the eventual structure of the adult Astyanax eye.
MORPH MOVIES
I have also developed several “morph” movies that illustrate many of the differences between surface and cave forms of Astyanax Mexicanus. The movies (in .gif format) can be viewed by clicking the links below.
Click here to see a surface fish morph into a cavefish (Pachon variety) and vice-versa.
Click here to see a surface fish skull morph into a cavefish skull and vice-versa.
Click here
to see an eyeless cavefish morph into a cavefish that has received a transplanted
surface fish lens.
