ArticleScientific reports2023
Roles unveiled for membrane-associated mucins at the ocular surface using a Muc4 knockout mouse model.
Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nanosuspension-based Ocular Therapeutics for Infection Control: Integrating Mucin Interactions and Tear Film Dynamics.AAPS PharmSciTech · 2026Review
- Persistent loss of membrane-associated MUC4 reprograms physiological functions in corneal epithelial cells via MAPK-dependent cascade.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Mucoadhesive nanofibers for ocular drug delivery: mechanisms, design strategies, and applications.Drug delivery and translational research · 2026Review
- Platelets in Dry Eye Disease: A Narrative Review of Biological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications Derived from Platelets.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- MUC4 O-GlcNAcylation Regulates the Epithelial Phenotype in Conjunctival Epithelial Cells.Biochemical genetics · 2025Article
- The Spatial Transcriptomic Atlas of Human Limbus and Vital Niche Microenvironment Regulating the Fate of Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025Article
- The role of epithelial membrane-associated mucin 4 in ocular surface health and corneal wound healing.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- Ocular surface glycocalyx in health and disease.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Membrane-associated mucins (MAMs) are proposed to play critical roles at the ocular surface; however, in vivo evidence has been lacking. Here we investigate these roles by phenotyping of a Muc4 KO mouse. Histochemical analysis for expression of the beta-galactosidase transgene replacing Muc4 revealed a spiraling ribbon pattern across the corneal epithelium, consistent with centripetal cell migration from the limbus. Depletion of Muc4 compromised transcellular barrier function, as evidenced by an increase in rose bengal staining. In addition, the corneal surface was less smooth, consistent with disruption of tear film stability. While surface cells presented with well-developed microprojections, an increase in the number of cells with fewer microprojections was observed. Moreover, an increase in skin-type keratin K10 and a decrease in transcription factor Pax6 was observed, suggesting an incipient transdifferentiation. Despite this, no evidence of inflammatory dry eye disease was apparent. In addition, Muc4 had no effect on signaling by toll-like receptor Tlr4, unlike reports for MUC1 and MUC16. Results of this study provide the first in vivo evidence for the role of MAMs in transcellular barrier function, tear film stability, apical epithelial cell architecture, and epithelial mucosal differentiation at the ocular surface.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.