Expression patterns for glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT3 in the normal rat lens and in models of diabetic cataract.

Purpose: To determine whether the expression levels and cellular distribution of the facilitative glucose transporters GLUT1 and -3 undergo changes in the hyperglycemic lens.

Methods: Hyperglycemia was induced in vivo by injecting rats with streptozotocin or in vitro by culturing lenses in the presence of 50 mM glucose. Northern blot analysis and quantitative RT-PCR were used to detect changes in GLUT1 and -3 transcript levels, and Western blot analysis was used to monitor changes in GLUT3 protein expression levels in diabetic rats.

Molecular profiling and cellular localization of connexin isoforms in the rat ciliary epithelium.

The functionally distinct epithelial layers of the ciliary body act as a syncitium to produce the aqueous humour. Ultrastructural studies have shown that the pigmented (PE) and non-pigmented (NPE) cell layers of the ciliary epithelium are connected by gap junctions. However the molecular composition of gap junctions both between and within the two cell layers has not been comprehensively studied.