HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ikeda, T. Articles by Hirabayashi, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ikeda, T. Articles by Hirabayashi, Y.

Localization of Thrombomodulin in the Anterior Segment of the Human Eye

¹ From the Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya; the ² Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka; the ³ Department of Public Health, Showa Pharmaceutical University, Tokyo; the ⁴ Department of Ophthalmology, Biyoh Hospital, Nagoya; and the ⁵ Department of Anatomy, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan.

PURPOSE. To localize thrombomodulin (TM) in the anterior segment of the human eye. TM is a vascular endothelial cell surface glycoprotein that acts as a cofactor for the thrombin-catalyzed activation of the anticoagulant protease zymogen, protein C.

METHODS. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect TM expression in corneal epithelial cells, the lens epithelial cells, and other cells in the anterior segment of the eye. The expression of TM was also examined in cultured human corneal epithelial cells.

RESULTS. TM was expressed in corneal epithelial cells, corneal endothelial cells, and nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells, which are in direct contact with the aqueous humor. TM was also expressed in cultured corneal epithelial cells and showed cofactor activity. The amount of the antigen in the cultured corneal cells was approximately one tenth of that in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, but its specific cofactor activity (75%) was comparable to that of TM in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The trabecular meshwork and endothelial cells lining Schlemm’s canal also showed positive staining for TM.

CONCLUSIONS. The TM in the cells that are in contact with the aqueous humor appears to be involved in maintaining the fluidity of the aqueous humor. In contrast, TM in cells that are not in contact with the aqueous humor may function in regulating cell proliferation and/or differentiation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Ayala, D. J. Warejcka, M. Olague-Marchan, and S. S. Twining Corneal Activation of Prothrombin to Form Thrombin, Independent of Vascular Injury Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2007; 48(1): 134 - 143. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Chowers, T. L. Gunatilaka, R. H. Farkas, J. Qian, A. S. Hackam, E. Duh, M. Kageyama, C. Wang, A. Vora, P. A. Campochiaro, et al. Identification of Novel Genes Preferentially Expressed in the Retina Using a Custom Human Retina cDNA Microarray Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., September 1, 2003; 44(9): 3732 - 3741. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Ishii, T. Tezuka, H. Ishikawa, K. Takada, K. Oida, and S. Horie Oxidized phospholipids in oxidized low-density lipoprotein down-regulate thrombomodulin transcription in vascular endothelial cells through a decrease in the binding of RAR{beta}-RXR{alpha} heterodimers and Sp1 and Sp3 to their binding sequences in the TM promoter Blood, June 15, 2003; 101(12): 4765 - 4774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]