The central nervous system (CNS) monitors modifications in metabolic parameters or hormone levels and elicits adaptive responses such as food intake regulation. Particularly, within the hypothalamus, leptin modulates the activity of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons which are critical regulators of energy balance. Consistent with a pivotal role of the melanocortin system in the control of ene...

PURPOSE To document and explain the presence, inferior to the optic disc, of a distinct vertical boundary between two retinal areas of different short-wavelength autofluorescence (SW-AF) intensities. METHODS SW-AF images of the inferonasal region were acquired from 32 healthy subjects. Additionally, color, 488-nm reflectance (488-R), near-infrared reflectance (NIR-R), NIR autofluorescence (NI...

[This corrects the article on p. 488 in vol. 82.].

Surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence microscopic observation of a live breast cancer cell was performed with a plasmonic chip. Two cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7), were selected as breast cancer cells, with two kinds of membrane protein, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), observed in both cells. The membr...

Metabolic activation of phenacetin by liver microsomes proceeds via both phenetidine and N-hydroxyphenacetin to direct-acting mutagens, i.e., N-hydroxyphenetidine and p-nitrosophenetole. Five different molecular species of cytochrome P-450 have been purified from liver microsomes of drug-pretreated Wistar rats or Syrian hamsters and their abilities to activate phenetidine and phenacetin were co...

PURPOSE To investigate the feasibility and to identify sources of experimental variability of quantitative and qualitative fundus autofluorescence (AF) assessment in mice. METHODS Blue (488 nm) and near-infrared (790 nm) fundus AF imaging was performed in various mouse strains and disease models (129S2, C57Bl/6, Abca4(-/-), C3H-Pde6b(rd1/rd1), Rho(-/-), and BALB/c mice) using a commercially a...

PURPOSE To investigate fundus autofluorescence (AF) characteristics in the Abca4(-/-) mouse, an animal model for AMD and Stargardt disease, and to correlate findings with functional, structural, and biochemical assessments. METHODS Blue (488 nm) and near-infrared (790 nm) fundus AF images were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed in pigmented Abca4(-/-) mice and wild type (WT) controls i...

PURPOSE To evaluate a spectral imaging technique to detect the area of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling after vitrectomy for idiopathic macular hole. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a prospective study, 15 eyes of 15 patients with idiopathic macular holes were tested. After vitrectomy with ILM peeling, retinal images were taken with color fundus photography, red-free fundus photography, and ...