Detection of connective tissue growth factor in subretinal Fluid following retinal detachment: possible contribution to subretinal scar formation, preliminary results.

Unlabelled: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been shown to be substantially involved in various processes of fibrosis. Herein we report on the presence of CTGF in the subretinal fluid (SRF) of patients with retinal detachment.

Methods: Samples of SRF were collected from 10 patients during retinal detachment surgery.

Detection of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in human tear fluid: preliminary results.

Purpose: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is one of the main regulators of fibrosis. We aimed to evaluate its presence in the human tear fluid of healthy individuals.

Methods: A total of 70 tear fluid samples were collected from eight volunteers prior to and after stimulation of reflex tears with onion vapour.

Connective tissue growth factor in pterygium: simultaneous presence with vascular endothelial growth factor - possible contributing factor to conjunctival scarring.

Background: Various growth factors have been detected in pterygium and been associated with its vasculogenesis. The basic pathophysiological mechanisms responsible especially for the fibrotic activity in pterygium are, however, not yet known. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been shown to be substantially involved in various processes of fibrosis.

Detection of connective tissue growth factor in human aqueous humor.

Purpose: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been shown to be substantially involved in various processes of fibrosis. We investigated if CTGF is present in aqueous humor (AH).

Methods: Samples from AH were collected from 10 volunteers during cataract surgery.

Anterior lenticonus: histological evaluation and approach for cataract surgery.

Purpose: To present 2 cases of anterior lenticonus in patients without Alport's syndrome, a surgical technique of cataract extraction in eyes with anterior lenticonus, and histological results of lenticonus specimens obtained intraoperatively.

Setting: From St. Eriks Eye Clinic, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Levels of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in human cerebrospinal fluid.

In this study, we investigated cerebrospinal fluid of patients with various neurological symptoms for the presence of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha). 41 samples of cerebrospinal fluid were collected by lumbar puncture performed routinely due to the clinical suspicion of neurological disease from 22 females (age 15-80 years, median 42 years) and from 19 males (age 18-82 years, median 48 years). A highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was used to determine the concentration of TGF-alpha in the samples.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal human corneal epithelium: detection and physiological importance.

Purpose: Corneal neovascularization is a major challenge following chemical burns and corneal inflammation. The factors triggering corneal neovascularization involve various growth factors. In the release and control of these factors the regenerating tissue plays a decisive role.

Dry eye syndrome, tear film, pharmacology of eye drops, and toxicity.

Over the past years, the main parameters used for the diagnosis of dry eye have been outlined: there is now substantial effort to bring them into correlation with each other, resulting in easier diagnosis of the diseases that appear to cause dry eye. Although increasing awareness of the plethora of dry eye diseases makes the differential diagnosis and the treatment difficult, the increased availability of optimized artificial tears and tear substitutes, especially viscoelastics, does allow easier relief of the most serious symptoms of dry eye disease. Improved topical treatment, in turn, allows various treatments, such as excimer laser treatment, to be performed, even in dry eyes.

The clinical use of contact lenses and collagen shields.

Contact lens wear before and after photorefractive or phototherapeutic keratectomy with excimer lasers has become an increasingly interesting subject. No negative side effects of contact lens wear prior to photorefractive keratectomy have yet been shown and refractive errors postoperatively do not seem to constitute a major practical problem. Normal side effects include the risk of bacterial infection and keratitis.

Growth factors and their receptors in the anterior chamber. Absence of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha in human aqueous humor.

The involvement of growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) in regenerative processes of corneal endothelium and lens epithelium has recently been suggested. However, knowledge on the presence of growth factors in anterior chamber fluid (ACF) is still very restricted. Although we have previously shown that EGF is undetectable in the ACF of normal eyes undergoing cataract surgery even by the use of high-sensitivity assays, this does not exclude the possible presence of other, EGF-like proteins in ACF such as transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha).

Detection of transforming growth factor-alpha mRNA and protein in rat lacrimal glands and characterization of transforming growth factor-alpha in human tears.

Purpose: To assess whether the lacrimal gland is a possible site of synthesis of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and to characterize TGF-alpha biochemically in human tears.

Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification was used to analyze rat lacrimal glands for the presence of TGF-alpha mRNA. Specific monoclonal antibodies were used to localize TGF-alpha immunohistochemically in lacrimal gland tissue of rats.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen colocalization with corneal epithelial stem cells and involvement in physiological cell turnover.

Corneal integrity is dependent on a constant turnover of epithelial cells. According to the current hypothesis essential contributors to this process, the so-called stem-cells, are localized in the limbal area of the cornea. However, histological identification of stem cells of the cornea is thus far not possible.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen: contradictory results regarding its presence in the lens.

Background: Cell division of the normal lens is believed to occur in the germinative zone of the lens epithelium only. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) at least in its insoluble form, is restricted to cells shortly after and during DNA synthesis.

Method: To elucidate the location of the previously reported notable amounts of PCNA in lens epithelium, 6-micron sections of 10 New Zealand rabbit corneas were stained with specific antibodies.

Presence of basic fibroblast growth factor in corneal epithelium.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has strong angiogenic properties and also promotes wound healing of corneal epithelium. However, only little is known about the natural presence of bFGF at the ocular surface. In the present study we therefore investigated the presence of bFGF in the corneas of 10 guinea pigs.

Transforming growth factor-alpha is a constant component of human tear fluid.

Growth factors are known as a family of polypeptides with powerful influences on angiogenesis, tumor growth and wound healing. Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are structurally related peptides which bind to the same receptor, EGF-R, and also exert similar effects. EGF is a natural component of human tears, and ocular disease leads to decreased concentrations in tear fluid.

Growth factors in human tear fluid and in lacrimal glands.

EGF has been shown to be a constant component of human tear fluid. Its concentration depends on the actual tear fluid flow, as shown for other proteins secreted by the lacrimal gland. This organ has also been considered to be the origin of tear fluid EGF and immunohistochemical evidence for this hypothesis was found.