Pathologic studies on the blood-retinal barrier in the spontaneously diabetic BB rat

N. P. Blair, M. O.M. Tso, J. T. Dodge

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

The BB rat spontaneously develops a diabetic state that closely resembles human type I diabetes. The authors studied the pathologic changes in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium of four normal and nine diabetic BB rats using (1) light and electron microscopy with the horseradish peroxidase tracer technique, and (2) trypsin digest preparations of the retinal vessels. They observed a retinal pigment epitheliopathy characterized by (1) derangement of the plasmalemma infoldings; (2) patchy organelle degeneration leading to focal necrosis; (3) increased permeability to horseradish peroxidase; and (4) repair of the pigment epithelium. Focal thickening of the retinal vascular basement membrane was seen occasionally, but the trypsin digest preparations were unremarkable. These studies suggest that diabetic retinal pigment epitheliopathy may be one of the early changes in diabetic retinopathy and may provide a pathogenetic mechanism for early disruption of the blood-retinal barrier.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)302-311
Number of pages10
JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Volume25
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1984
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Pathologic studies on the blood-retinal barrier in the spontaneously diabetic BB rat'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this