It is well known that the vitreous forms 80% of the ocular body and consists of water (98%) and a network of collagen fibrils and hyaluronic acid (2%). Thus, the vitreous is typically characterised as a transparent gel firmly attached to the retina. Vitreal transparency is key as it allows transmission of light through unobstructed media to the retina for visual stimulation. With age, the vitre...

PURPOSE To determine the chronology of the appearance and localization of hyaluronic acid (HA) in mouse vitreous during the embryonic and early postnatal stages of development and in human vitreous during early embryonic development. METHODS A histochemical method using the specific affinity for HA of a bovine cartilage proteoglycan was used on mouse eyes at embryonic (11 to 18 days) and earl...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate propagation velocity of acoustic waves through the lens and vitreous body of pigs, dogs, and rabbits and determine whether there were associations between acoustic wave speed and age, temperature, and time after enucleation. SAMPLE POPULATION 9 pig, 40 dog, and 20 rabbit lenses and 16 pig, 17 dog, and 23 rabbit vitreous bodies. PROCEDURE Acoustic wave velocities throug...

PURPOSE To investigate the relationships among antioxidant activities, oxidative stress, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous body and serum from proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. METHODS In 21 patients with PDR and 21 controls with macular hole (MH), the VEGF and lipid peroxide (Nepsilon-hexanoyl-lysine [HEL]) levels in the vitreous and serum were me...

PURPOSE Lysyl oxidase (LOX) cross-links the side chain of collagen and elastin and thereby contributes to extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity. ECM remodeling is seen in various ocular diseases. Until now, there have been no reports on the LOX enzyme's activity in ocular tissues. The purpose of this study was to estimate LOX activity and expression in human donor ocular tissues and to measure t...