Lens expression of TGF alpha in transgenic mice produces two distinct eye pathologies in the absence of tumors.

Transgenic mice carrying the rat TGFα minigene linked to the αA crystallin promoter were generated to investigate the effects of expression of this growth factor in the lens of the eye. All transgenic mice exhibited eye abnormalities in the absence of overt tumors, and two distinct and heritable phenotypes were observed. Five lineages produced «squinting» transgenic mice characterized by microphthalmic eyes with severe lens and retinal dysplasia, and four lineages produced «bulged» transgenic mice with eyes that exhibited enlarged globes, lens epithelial hyperplasia, anterior segment dysgenesis, and in some cases retinal dysplasia