Our goal was to determine the cellular localization of left-handed Z-RNA, within preeguatorial zone (PZ) epithelium of the normal adult dog ocular lens (1.5 yr) (Fig. 1), employing anti-Z-RNA IgG polyclonal antibodies. B-DNA has the ability to adopt the Z-DNA configuration in vitro(1). A-RNA can be transformed into Z-RNA under certain conditions (2). Z-RNA has been localized in cultured cells (3). Strong evidence supports the presence of Z-DNA in vivo (1). Elimination of DNA binding proteins by certain fixatives can initiate DNA supercoiling which stabilizes Z-DNA sequences (1). Z-DNA may play a role in regulating in vivo transcriptional enhancement (1).

Anti-Z-RNA antibody probes were produced in 3 rabbits immunized with injections of Z-RNA: Br-poly[ribosomal(G-C)]. Concerning light microscopy [immunohistochemistry (ABC method)], lens tissues were fixed in Carnoy's, embedded in paraffin and sectioned (3 μm) (Fig. 2). Image analysis was performed using a Leitz DM-RB microscope and Leica Quantiment 500 + image analyzer.