Central and peripheral benzodiazepine receptors were localized in the rat, monkey, and human eye by in vitro autoradiography. Central benzodiazepine binding sites, visualized with 3H-R015-1788, were enriched in the inner plexiform layer in all three species. Binding sites also were present in the nerve fiber layer, the ganglion cell layer, and in portions of the inner nuclear layer. Peripheral ...

In patients with age-related macular degeneration, a monolayer of cells in the eyes called retinal pigment epithelium differ from healthy ones in morphology. It is therefore important to quantify the morphological changes, which will help us better understand the physiology, disease progression and classification. Classification of the RPE morphometry has been accomplished with whole tissue dat...

Non-exudative age-related macular degeneration, a prevalent cause of blindness, is a progressive and degenerative disease characterized by alterations in Bruch's membrane, retinal pigment epithelium, and photoreceptors exclusively localized in the macula. Although experimental murine models exist, the vast majority take a long time to develop retinal alterations and, in general, these alteratio...

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) results from oxidative damage to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) with concomitant photoreceptor cell death. The effects of oxidative stress were investigated on a human RPE cell line (ARPE-19) in the presence of 48h-conditioned media from human retinal progenitor cells (RPC). Freshly isolated RPCs rapidly formed spherical clusters (neurospheres) and e...

PURPOSE To understand the difference between macular and peripheral regions, tissue samples of human retina, retinal pigment epithelium, and Bruch's membrane/choroid were dissected and analyzed for lipid composition. METHOD To facilitate dissections and enhance the recovery of tissues, eyecups were prefixed for 1 hour in 10% formalin (pH 7). Lipids were extracted from 4-mm trephined punches o...