Hyaluronan dynamics during retinal development.

We have already shown the regulated expressions of hyaluronan binding molecules including versican, SPACR, and SPACRCAN, during retinal development. Here we analyzed the profiles of hyaluronan during these periods. Hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthase (HAS) expressions in chicken retinas at different ages were assessed by slot blot and real-time PCR, respectively.

Characterization of a motif for specific binding to hyaluronan in chicken SPACR.

The chicken sialoprotein associated with cones and rods (SPACR) binds to hyaluronan (HA) in the interphotoreceptor matrix space, but the motif for HA binding is still unknown. This study was conducted to determine the critical site required for specific binding to HA. Western blotting study showed that SPACR binds biotinylated HA, and this interaction was specifically inhibited by unlabeled HA.

Medial horn supporting ligament in Asian upper eyelids.

The purpose of this study was to describe the medial horn supporting ligament (MHSL) attached to the medial horn of the levator aponeurosis. The authors examined 3 different groups of specimens: gross cadaveric samples, microscopic cadaveric samples and intraoperative samples from levator resections. In all eyelids in the gross cadaveric samples, the MHSL was attached from the superior to the medial surfaces of the medial horn, and ran deeper in the direction of the trochlea in the superior region.

Versican and fibrillin-1 form a major hyaluronan-binding complex in the ciliary body.

Purpose: In this study, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy techniques were used to examine whether versican, which is known to bind fibrillin-1, interacts with fibrillin-1 in the ciliary body and vitreous, and whether the versican in this complex binds to hyaluronan.

Methods: The new polyclonal antibodies against the amino and carboxyl termini of versican were raised and characterized. The mRNA expression levels of versican and fibrillin-1 were analyzed by RT-PCR and real-time PCR, and their protein levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.

Microscopic findings of lateral tarsal fixation in Asians.

Purpose: To identify microscopically lateral tarsal fixation in Asians.

Methods: Specimens from 19 postmortem lateral eyelids and orbits of 11 Asians (11 right, 8 left; aged 45-96 years at death) were used. Samples damaged on sectioning and samples without tarsal plates were excluded.

Direct insertion of the medial rectus capsulopalpebral fascia to the tarsus.

Purpose: To clarify the insertion of the medial rectus capsulopalpebral fascia to the tarsus in Asians.

Methods: Specimens from 19 (11 right, 8 left) postmortem medial eyelids and orbits of 11 Asians (aged 45-96 years at death) were used. Samples had been fixed in 10% buffered formalin before their removal and microscopic examination.

Occlusal tooth wear in male F344/N rats with aging.

With the aim of clarifying the aging properties of an animal model, the progress of occlusal tooth wear (OTW) of molars in male F344/N rats was monitored. Dried maxilla and mandible specimens from 61 male F344/N rats, aged 7 to >30 months, were used. The levels of OTW of all molars were monitored with aging.

Natural dental caries in molars of osteogenic disorder Shionogi rats.

Osteogenic disorder Shionogi (ODS) rats are genetically defective in ascorbic acid biosynthesis. They exhibit a gait abnormality due to dysfunctional bone formation and display various dental abnormalities. Conditions of the oral cavity and tooth quality both influence the development of dental caries.

Overview of the lacrimal canaliculus in microscopic cross-section.

Although many illustrations have been published seeking to explain the anatomy of the lacrimal canaliculus and its surroundings, to our knowledge, no micrograph showing the total length of the lacrimal canaliculus has ever been displayed. Here, we present a clear microscopic cross-section of the total length of an upper lacrimal canaliculus, except for the vertical part. A winding path was found in part of the canaliculus.

Development of IgA nephropathy-like disease with high serum IgA levels and increased proportion of polymeric IgA in Beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase-deficient mice.

The glycosylation of glycoproteins is important for their biological activity, conformation and stability. Recent studies indicate that aberrant glycosylation causes various human disorders. Here we report that mice lacking beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase-I (beta4GalT-I), which transfers galactose from UDP-Gal to terminal GlcNAc of N- and O-glycans in a beta-1,4- linkage, developed IgA nephropathy (IgAN)-like disease.

Occlusal tooth wear in female F344/N rats with aging.

Objectives: This study was conducted to ascertain whether laboratory rats are an adequate animal model for aging oral cavity research, especially on occlusal tooth wear (OTW), which progresses with aging and causes abnormal occlusions. Mastication has been reported to relate to cognition in the elderly. Thus, it is important to care for the oral cavity, especially in the frail elderly, for the maintenance of all-round quality of life.

Versican, a major hyaluronan-binding component in the dermis, loses its hyaluronan-binding ability in solar elastosis.

Versican interacts with hyaluronan (HA) at its N-terminus and with fibrillin-1 at its C terminus. As versican in the dermis connects microfibrils to the HA-rich matrix for viscoelasticity, dermal diseases may involve destruction of these complexes. A recombinant versican protein, rVN, covering the HA binding region (HABR) of human versican and a polyclonal antibody, 6084, against rVN were prepared and characterized.

Development of immunoglobulin A nephropathy- like disease in beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase-I-deficient mice.

Beta4 galactosylation of glycoproteins plays important roles in protein conformation, stability, transport, and clearance from the circulation. Recent studies have revealed that aberrant glycosylation causes various human diseases. Here we report that mice lacking beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase (beta4GalT)-I, which transfers galactose to the terminal N-acetylglucosamine of N- and O-linked glycans in a beta-1,4 linkage, spontaneously developed human immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN)-like glomerular lesions with IgA deposition and expanded mesangial matrix.

Lateral canthal support system in Japanese.

The present study aimed to elucidate microscopically the precise structure of the generally termed 'lateral canthal tendon' (LCT). Specimens from 9 post-mortem lower eyelids of 6 Japanese aged from 72 to 91 years old at death were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and microscopically examined. Specimens were excised as exenterated samples including an area 5 mm wider than the orbital aperture.

Microscopic anatomy of Asian lower eyelids.

Purpose: To elucidate the microscopic anatomy of the Asian lower eyelid.

Methods: Specimens (full-thickness sections of lower eyelids from 19 postmortem lower eyelids) from 11 Asians aged 73 to 96 years at death were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and microscopically examined. After pretreatment, sagittal sliced sections of the central part were stained with Masson trichrome.

Comparison of rat mandible bone characteristics in F344 substrains, F344/Du and F344/N.

The characteristics of the mandible bone were compared through DXA methods between two major substrains of F344 rats, F344/DuCrlCrlj and F344/NSlc at around 60 days of age. Since these two substrains are clearly different in survival and mandible morphology, some genetic differences are supposed to exist. In contrast to a previous microsatellite analysis, clear and significant differences were detected in the body and mandible weights, the mandible bone mineral contents (BMC), bone area (AREA), bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral ratio (BMR), between F344/DuCrlCrlj and F344/NSlc, with the mandible molar teeth intact in the bone.

The lower eyelid retractor consists of definite double layers.

Purpose: To examine whether the lower eyelid retractor consists of a single layer or multiple layers.

Design: Retrospective clinical case series and dissectional study.

Participants: Fifty-one lower eyelid retractors (31 right, 20 left) of 44 patients (ages, 63-95 years) during entropion surgeries and 10 lower eyelids (5 right, 5 left) of 5 Oriental cadavers (73-91 years old at death) were observed macroscopically.

An anomalous muscle linking superior and inferior rectus muscles in the orbit.

Dissections of the bilateral orbits in a 45-year-old female cadaver, who had no ocular movement disorders in her lifetime, revealed anomalous muscles linking the superior and inferior rectus muscles. The muscles, situated between the optic nerve and the lateral rectus muscle, originated from the annulus of Zinn and branched off two heads; one inserted into the medial inferior side of the superior rectus muscle and the other inserted into the central superior side of the inferior rectus muscle. Each insertion was located on a distal site of the myoneural junction of each rectus muscle.

Identification of genes preferentially expressed in articular cartilage by suppression subtractive hybridization.

Suppression subtractive hybridization is very effective to enrich differentially expressed genes in two different tissues or cells. We therefore used the technique to identify characteristic genes expressed in rat knee joint articular cartilage as compared to rat costal cartilage. In this study, we revealed that several genes were enriched in a subtracted articular cartilage cDNA library.

Molecular cloning and characterization of chick SPACRCAN.

MY-174, a monoclonal antibody that reacts with specific sialylated O-linked glycoconjugates of chick SPACR (sialoprotein associated with cones and rods), also recognizes another molecule of 300 kDa. Here, we verified that this 300-kDa molecule is chick SPACRCAN (sialoproteoglycan associated with cones and rods), another member of a novel interphotoreceptor matrix molecule family. Screening for chick SPACRCAN was carried out by plaque hybridization using a probe for chick SPACR.

Posterior aspect of the orbital septum is reinforced by ligaments.

Purpose: To investigate the ligaments reinforcing the posterior aspect of the orbital septum.

Methods: Sixteen upper eyelids of eight cadavers of Asians were dissected. Ten were subjected to gross dissections to investigate the ligaments attached to the posterior aspect of the orbital septum and to investigate the relationships with the associated ligamentous structures, and six were used for histological sections to elucidate the ligament anchoring sites in the septum.

Fibrous connective tissue between Müller's muscle and the palpebral conjunctiva as a reinforcement structure and a natural barrier for the upper eyelid.

This study was performed to illustrate and discuss the significance of fibrous connective tissue between the Müller's muscle and the palpebral conjunctiva. Nine upper eyelids of 6 Oriental cadavers were microscopically examined; ages at death ranged from 72 to 91 years. Tissue of the posterior lamella of the upper eyelid was removed without the orbital septum and orbital fat.

The levator aponeurosis consists of two layers that include smooth muscle.

Purpose: To investigate the two-fold structure of the levator aponeurosis, which is partly composed of independent smooth muscles.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen upper eyelids of 12 Asian postmortems, with age at death ranging from 72 to 91 years, were examined. In 9 eyelids, posterior lamella tissue of the upper eyelid was removed to observe the stratified structures of the levator aponeurosis.

The levator aponeurosis consists of two layers that include smooth muscle.

Purpose: To investigate the two-fold structure of the levator aponeurosis, which is partly composed of independent smooth muscles.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen upper eyelids of 12 Asian postmortems, with age at death ranging from 72 to 91 years, were examined. In 9 eyelids, posterior lamella tissue of the upper eyelid was removed to observe the stratified structures of the levator aponeurosis.