Does an ENU-induced mutation in the Mertk gene ( Mertknmf12 ) lead to a slow form of retinal degeneration?
These findings illustrate that a mutation in the Mertk gene leads to a significantly slower progressive retinal degeneration compared with other alleles of Mertk. These results demonstrate that TNF family members play a role in protecting photoreceptors of Mertk(nmf12) homozygotes from cell death.
We identified novel loci differentially methylated in placenta in relation to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Adverse effects of maternal smoking on birthweight of the offspring may be mediated by alterations in the placental methylome.