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Abstract
Embryonic development of the vertebrate eye begins with the formation of an optic
vesicle which folds inwards to form a double-layered optic cup with a fissure on the
ventral surface, known as the optic fissure. Closure of the optic fissure is essential
for subsequent growth and development of the eye. A defect in this process can leave
a gap in the iris, retina or optic nerve, known as a coloboma, which can lead to severe
visual impairment. This review brings together current information about genes and
pathways regulating fissure closure from human coloboma patients and animal models.
It focuses especially on current understanding of the morphological changes and processes
of epithelial remodelling occurring at the fissure margins.