ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cataract is responsible for about 10% blindness among children in India. Etiology of cataract is not well defined especially for childhood cataracts and epidemiological data for Indian population is not available in details. AIM: This study was performed to survey the causes of childhood cataracts and to identify the preventable factors in four western states of India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The present study is a hospital-based, prospective study on 172 consecutive pediatric cataract patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Type of cataract was determined using slit-lamp bio-microscopy or operation microscope after mild general anesthesia especially on very young babies. Other anomalies of eye were determined using appropriate ophthalmic instruments. Parents of the patients were interviewed in their native language using a standardized questionnaire. Biochemical and microbiological tests such as for rubella, reducing sugar and blood glucose were also performed. RESULTS: Out of 172 children, 88.4% had non-traumatic cataract and 11.6% had traumatic cataracts. Among non-traumatic cataracts, 7.2% were hereditary, 4.6% were due to congenital rubella syndrome, 15.1% were secondary and 73.0% were undetermined. In the group of undetermined cases, during pregnancy 67% of the mother had history of illness, and 22% had taken medications during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that nearly 12% of non-traumatic cataract is due to potentially preventable causes. Health education of women to childbearing age and school children can decrease incidence of pediatric cataracts.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Cataract/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
Oestradiol acts both as a mitogen and as an inducer of differentiation of target cells. The cellular responses to oestradiol are generally mediated through the regulation of gene expression, although nongenomic modes of action are also documented. The present observations show that the regulation of keratin gene expression in rat vaginal epithelial cells is under the influence of oestradiol. It is observed that oestradiol regulates both the qualitative and quantitative expressions of keratin polypeptides in a time dependent and sequence specific manner. These regulatory effects are the result of modulations in transcriptional, post-transcriptional and translational processes of these genes, brought about by the hormone in vaginal epithelial cells.
ABSTRACT
The expression and distribution of keratins within different layers of enamel organs of embryonic and neonatal rats studied by using indirect immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescent techniques in paraffin-embedded tissues employing specific antibodies revealed Keratin positivity in odontoblastic layer, oral epithelium and dental lamina in primitive stages; other odontogenic tissues showed negative reaction.
Subject(s)
Animals , Biomarkers , Embryo, Mammalian , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Immunohistochemistry , Keratins/metabolism , Odontogenesis/physiology , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Properties of a transplantable rat histiocytoma which behaves like a macrophage-like cell, have been described. The AK-5 grows as ascites as well as solid subcutaneous tumor. The ascites from one animal can give between 10(8) and 10(9) cells whereas the subcutaneous tumor grows between 20 and 40 cm3 size. These cells possess various degradative enzymes, macrophage markers and glucocorticoid receptors. Beside histopathology the surface topography and ultrastructure of these cells are described.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cell Division , Female , Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous/ultrastructure , Macrophages/ultrastructure , Male , Rats , Rats, Inbred Strains , Tumor Cells, Cultured/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Calcium-dependent transglutaminase activity was found to be present in vaginal homogenates from adult cycling rats. Treatment of immature or adult ovariectomized rats with oestradiol (0·1 μg/g body weight) resulted in 1·5–2-fold enhancement in the enzyme activity. Progesterone treatment (0·1 μg/g body weight) decreased the enzyme activity. Analysis of amino acids produced by proteolytic enzyme digestion of insoluble keratins from rat vaginal tissue indicated the presence of γ-glutamyl-ε-\lysine dipeptide (4 μmol/g protein) in this protein. These results suggest that oestradiol acts on vaginal tissue and induces the activity of transglutaminase. This enzyme catalyses the formation of γ-glutamyl-ε-lysine crosslinks between keratin polypeptides and thus leads to kerartization of the tissue.
ABSTRACT
Rat vaginal epithelial layers from animals in different phases of the estrous cycle showed positive immunofluorescence when treated with either monoclonal antibody to intermediate filaments or immunoglobulin G fraction of antiserum raised against epidermal keratin filaments. During estrus, the intensity of fluorescence observed was maximum in the keratinized cellular layers. In estradiol-primed immature and ovariectomized rats the maximum fluorescence intensity was observed in the layers immediately lining the lumen. However, basal layers in ovariectomized rats also showed some fluorescence. Data presented in this communication indicate that the abundance of keratin filaments in vaginal epithelial cells can be modulated by altering the level of estradiol in the system.
ABSTRACT
Conditions have been standardized to maintain rat vaginal epithelial cells in vitro with more than 95% viability. Cultured epithelial cells were used to study the effects of normal fetal calf scrum, estradiol and progesterone on the incorporation of [3H]-uridine in RNA and incorporation of [l4C]-aminoacids in proteins. While fetal calf serum and estradiol stimulate the incorporation of both uridine and afno acids, progesterone did not show any effect. Estradiol treated vaginal cells show typical fcroridges (indicative of keratinization of cells) in contrast to estradiol deprived cells, which show microvilli on cell surface when examined in scanning electron microscope.