Histochemical Electron Microscopic Findings of the Distribution of the Glycosaminoglycans of Cultured Sensory Retina

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the distribution of glycosaminiglycans by the activated retinal neuronal cell on the cultured retinal tissue. METHODS: The retinal tissue was obtained from the donor eyeball without the pathological findings of the retina. The dissected retinal tissue was cultured for 2 weeks in the culture media and reacted with ruthenium red dye to observe the glycosaminoglycans reaction with transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The histochemical reaction to ruthenium red on the cultured retina tissue was prominent on the internal limiting membrane, intercellular space between the axons and dendrites at the outer and inner plexiform layers and interphotoreceptor matrix. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that GAGs may be released into the extracellular spaces between the axons and dendrites, which modulate the retinal circuits.

Histochemical Electron Microscopic Findings of Traumatic Cataract in Rabbits by Ruthenium Red

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)are essential components of the extracellular matrix of various tissues.They have been known to regulate cellular and extracellular environments for cell survival and differentiation in various physiologic and pathologic conditions.The present study was conducted to identify the distribution of GAGs in subepithelial cortical fibers of normal and traumatic cataractous lens of rabbits. Traumatic cataract was made by piercing the anterior lens capsule with 25-gauge sharp needle and the rabbits were killed at different time intervals (1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks).From the enucleated eyes subepithelial lens cortical fibers were obtained.A normal rabbit lens was used for the control. The specimens were stained with 0.05%ruthenium red (RR)and processed for histochemical electron microscopy. RR reactive materials were identified as fine granular or filamentous structures.In normal rabbit lens they were present mainly along the surface of lens epithelial cells, the surface of the subepithelial cortical fibers. In cataractous rabbits lens, strong RR positive reactions were observed along the surface of the lens epithelial cells and subepthelial cortical fibers as well as at the intercortical fiber spaces and even within its micro-organelles. This investigation resulted in an illustration of the ultrastructural distribution of GAGs in normal and traumatic cataractous lens of rabbit.this may suggest altered GAG distribution may closely related to the formation of lens opacity.

Protection of calcium antagonists against cardiomyocyte injury caused by anoxia and reoxygenation / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of calcium antagonists on anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury of cardiomyocytes. METHODS: Primary-cultured cardiomyocytes were divided into four groups, namely A/R, A/R+nifedipine(Nif), A/R+ruthenium red(Ru)+heparin (Hep) and control groups. The following parameters were measured in all groups: intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ]i), cardiac cell viability, ATP content, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the medium, PKC and MAPK activity and -Leucine(-Leu) incorporation. RESULTS: In comparison with A/R group, A/R+nifedipine(Nif) and A/R+ruthenium red(Ru)+heparin (Hep) groups showed a marked decrease in [Ca 2+ ]i and LDH content, and a significant increase in cell viability ,ATP content, activity of PKC and MAPK and -Leu incorporation(P

Distribution of the Glycosaminoglycans in the Bruch`s Membrane and Sensory Retina : Histochemical Electromic roscopic Findings with Ruthenium Red

The distribution of glycosaminoglycans in Bruch`s membrane and sensory retina of human eye was evaluated with histochemical electron microscope using 0.05%ruthenium red (RR). Seven donated or enucleated eyeballs without chorioretinal disease were used.Electron-dense RR reactive materials were identified as fine discrete granules along the basement membrane of the retinal pigment epithelium, in the inner and outer collagen layer and central elastic layer of Bruch 's membrane, and in the interphotorecep- tor matrix. In addition, they were observed at the cytoplasmic wall of photoreceptor cells, their intercellular spaces, and the internal limiting membrane. These results demonstrated that GAGs are widely distributed within the interphotoreceptor matrix, Bruch`s membrane, and intercellular spaces of retinal neurons. They are considered to function as a mechanical supporter as well as a selective filtration barrier through which the metabolitespass.

Histochemical Electron Microscopy of Conjunctival Surface in Dry Eye Syndrome

This study was performed to evaluate the histochemical changes of the conjunctival epithelial cell in eyes with dry eye syndrome. The authors selected 10 eyes clinically diagnosed as dry eye syndrome and 2 eyes which were enucleated due to choroidal melanoma as control group. The conjunctiva was stained with ruthenium red to enhance the detection of glycoprotein in conjunctival epithelium and observed by electron microscopy. The conjunctiva with dry eye syndrome showed the epithelial stratification, elon gation of the epithelial cells, reduction of microplicae in number, and irregular distribution of mucin. These results suggest that the mucin in the conjunctiva with dry eye syndrome may be abnormal in function and may lead to clumping.

Antagonistic effects of ruthenium red on the biological activities of endotoxin / 中国病理生理杂志

The antagonistic effects of ruthenium red (RuR) on the biological activi-ties of endotoxin (ET) which included the limulus amebocytes lysate test, the local Shw-artzman reaction, decreasing the white blood cell counts, and increase of zinc in periphe-ral blood were observed. The destroyed meshes of endotoxin have been seen under electronmicroscope. The amino-groups of endotoxin increased markedly, which it was treated withRuR. These results indicated that the polycationic residues of RuR may be the effectiveunits of antiendotoxin activity.