|
|
||||||||
1From the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences and 2Research Group in Eye & Vision Science, School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
PURPOSE. To determine whether aging vitreous collagen fibrils undergo ultrastructural changes that might underlie vitreous liquefaction and posterior vitreous detachment.
METHODS. Vitreous collagen fibrils from 21 human subjects (age range, 389 years) and from bovine eyes were isolated on electron microscopy grids. Cupromeronic blue labeling in the presence of 0.3 M MgCl2 and immunogold labeling for collagen types II and IX were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy.
RESULTS. Aging was associated with marked changes on the surface of human vitreous collagen fibrils, including an exponential loss of type IX collagen along with its chondroitin sulfate side-chains (half-life, 11 years) and a fourfold increase in the exposure of type II collagen.
CONCLUSIONS. Despite being a minor component of vitreous collagen fibrils, type IX collagen, probably by virtue of its chondroitin sulfate side-chains, shields type II collagen from exposure on the fibril surface. With aging, this shielding diminishes, resulting in the surface exposure of "sticky" type II collagen and thus predisposing the vitreous collagen fibrils to fusion. These changes could underlie vitreous liquefaction and weakening of vitreoretinal adhesion.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
T. L. Ponsioen, M. v. Deemter, R. A. Bank, J. M. Snabel, G. S. Zijlstra, R. J. van der Worp, J. M. M. Hooymans, and L. I. Los Mature Enzymatic Collagen Cross-Links, Hydroxylysylpyridinoline and Lysylpyridinoline, in the Aging Human Vitreous Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., March 1, 2009; 50(3): 1041 - 1046. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. F. Holmes and K. E. Kadler The 10+4 microfibril structure of thin cartilage fibrils PNAS, November 14, 2006; 103(46): 17249 - 17254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Halfter, U. Winzen, P. N. Bishop, and A. Eller Regulation of eye size by the retinal basement membrane and vitreous body. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., August 1, 2006; 47(8): 3586 - 3594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. J. Hindson, J. T. Gallagher, W. Halfter, and P. N. Bishop Opticin Binds to Heparan and Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2005; 46(12): 4417 - 4423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Halfter, S. Dong, B. Schurer, C. Ring, G. J. Cole, and A. Eller Embryonic Synthesis of the Inner Limiting Membrane and Vitreous Body Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., June 1, 2005; 46(6): 2202 - 2209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |