Fibrinolytic activity of the retinae in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

Fibrinolytic activity of the retinae in control and diabetic rats was assayed quantitatively in twenty male rats made diabetic by giving a single injection of streptozotocin. All these rats were killed at either 3 months or 12 months. Ten saline-injected rats and five rats treated with 3-0-methylglucose and streptozotocin served as controls. As the plasminogen activator activity in diabetic rats maintained for 12 months was significantly lower than that in controls, we postulate that there may be a poor defense mechanism against microthrombus formation in the retinal vasculature of diabetics, which may contribute to the development of diabetic retinopathy.