Figure 5. Quantification of PDGF peptide and receptor mRNAs.

Real-time RT-PCR was conducted on PDGF-A, PDGF-B, PDGF-α receptor and PDGF-β receptor mRNAs in normal and diabetic murine retina. When retinal extracts from non-diabetic controls (white bars) were compared with those from diabetics (black bars) there was a significant decrease in PDGF-B mRNA expression the diabetic retina (*p<0.001). PDGF-α receptor mRNA showed a small increase in diabetic retina but this was not statistically significant. The graph shows normalized values against the housekeeping gene ARP (Acidic ribosomal phosphoprotein PO). Both PDGF-A and PDGF-β receptor mRNAs were unaltered between mouse groups.