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Biomedical subjects

K Tervo

Publications and source records attributed to K Tervo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Immunohistochemical demonstration of cellular fibronectin and tenascin in human epiretinal membranes.

The occurrence of fibronectin, cellular fibronectin and tenascin was studied immunohistochemically in epiretinal membranes from 5 patients with retinal detachment and 3 patients with macular pucker, and in preretinal membranes from 3 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Positive immunofluorescence for these proteins was seen in all specimens studied. The presence of cellular fibronectin suggests that local production of fibronectin occurs in these membranes. The expression of tenascin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, originally found to modulate organosenesis in tendinous and glial tissue, suggests that this glycoprotein also participates in the regulation of cellular growth in these membranes.

Adolescent↗

Ocular irritation leads to the appearance of proteolytic activity in the aqueous humor.

Aqueous humor (AH) collected from healthy eyes of man and rabbit was analysed for proteolytic activity using a casein-agar assay. Normal AH collected during surgery or rabbit AH aspirated before ocular irritation contained no caseinolytic activity. In rabbits, mechanical irritation of the iris and subconjunctival as well as intracameral injection of capsaicin led to ocular irritative response. AH samples collected after such manipulation contained a considerable caseinolytic activity. On the other hand, anterior chamber puncture alone did not seem to induce elevation of caseinolytic activity in AH. The clinical significance of this phenomenon and the mechanisms behind it are discussed.

Animals↗

Expression of tenascin and cellular fibronectin in the rabbit cornea after anterior keratectomy. Immunohistochemical study of wound healing dynamics.

Anterior keratectomy (AKE) was done on rabbits, and the appearance of immunohistochemically demonstrable tenascin (TN) or cellular fibronectin (cFN) was studied at different times (5 min to 14 months) after the operation. The substance TN was first observed 12 hr after wounding in the posterior stroma; cFN appeared with the same localization 12 hr later. During postoperative week 1, both TN and cFN immunoreactions shifted to more anterior parts of the cornea, and 9 days after wounding, they were localized in the most anterior part of the stroma only. Thereafter the reactions gradually decreased in intensity but still were visible 3 months after AKE. No reaction for TN or cFN was present 14 months postoperatively.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical demonstration of epidermal growth factor in the lacrimal and submandibular glands of rats.

The extraorbital and intraorbital lacrimal glands, the Harderian glands, and the submandibular glands of five rats were excised after ethanol perfusion under general anesthesia. Indirect immunohistochemistry with antibodies specific to epidermal growth factor (EGF) was performed. EGF-like immunofluorescence (EGF-LI) was shown to be present both in the lacrimal glands (extra- and intraorbital) and in the submaxillary gland. In the lacrimal glands the specific immunoreaction appeared within the lumen of the acini and the cells of the tubular ducts close to the acini. Only faint EGF-LI was observed within the acinar cells. The submandibular glands showed intense EGF-LI only in the cells of the granular convoluted tubules. The Harderian gland did not show any EGF-LI. The results strongly support the idea that the lacrimal gland is a source of EGF in tear fluid (TF). Diseases of the lacrimal gland therefore may lead to decreased concentrations of EGF in tears. This may account in part for the pathophysiology of tear deficiency syndromes and may serve as the basis of a new rationale for the external application of EGF.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical demonstration of tenascin in the normal human limbus with special reference to trabeculectomy.

Sections from the anterior segment of the fetal and adult human eye and from limbal tissue excised during standard trabeculectomies were studied immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies against human tenascin or monoclonal antibodies against cellular fibronectin (cFN). In the fetal eye, tenascin-like immunoreactivity (TEN-LI) was observed in the area of the developing limbus. In the adult eye TEN-LI was most intense at the corneoscleral margin in the stromal tissue and decreased towards the posterior sclera. No reaction was observed in the corneal stroma, but the epithelium showed moderate immunofluorescence. All tissues obtained during trabeculectomy showed similarly strong TEN-LI. The sections from trabecular specimens incubated with antibodies against cFN were negative.

Anterior Eye Segment↗

Plasminogen activator and its inhibitor in the experimental corneal wound.

Anterior keratectomy was performed to 10 eyes of 8 adult rabbits. The animals were killed 3-24 hr after wound closure. The corneas were excised and subjected to histochemical demonstration of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), tissue-type PA (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI-1) using commercial antibodies. A strong immunoreaction for u-PA, a weaker reaction for PAI-1 and a very weak t-PA-like immunoreaction appeared in the anterior stroma of the wounded area. None of the antisera used showed any immunostaining in the cornea outside the wound. The role of the plasminogen activator-plasmin system in the healing of the corneal wound is discussed.

Animals↗

Demonstration of tenascin-like immunoreactivity in rabbit corneal wounds.

Tenascin, a novel extracellular matrix protein, was demonstrated immunohistochemically in rabbit corneas that had healed after anterior keratectomy. Tenascin-like immunofluorescence (T-LI) appeared in the corneal stroma at the wound area only. The wound edge showed the most intense specific fluorescence. The corneal epithelium, in general, displayed a moderate T-LI. Wounding did not induce any change in epithelial T-LI or T-LI located in the stroma outside the wound.

Animals↗

[Cluster headache].

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Cluster Headache↗

Updating of methods for prevention of HIV transmission during ophthalmological procedures.

The presence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) particles in the tear fluid, on the conjunctival surface or in the contact lenses of patients with chronic HIV infection has made it necessary to establish better for guide-lines for decontamination of instruments during ophthalmological procedures. The methods are now at the stage of evolution. The present paper describes the disinfection procedures used in the Helsinki University Eye Hospital and updates the present decontamination protocols.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Conjunctival nerve pathology in multiple endocrine neoplasia. A case report.

A 31-year-old male with typical clinical features of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2b (MEN 2b) was subjected to conjunctival biopsy. The patient had previously been operated for pheochromocytoma and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. He came for ophthalmologic consultation because of redness and irritation of the eye due to dry eye syndrome. The conjunctival biopsy taken from his left eye revealed not only an increase in the number of conjunctival nerves but also an increase of their axons. The ultrastructure of the nerves was mostly normal, but the perineurium was often incomplete, and the interaxonal space appeared to be enlarged. Immunohistochemically, SP-, neurofilament- and, unexpectedly, leucine-enkephalin-positive nerve fibres were demonstrated in the conjunctival stroma. The rat is the only species in which enkephalin-like immunoreactivity has been described in the anterior segment of the eye. Thus, the presence of enkephalin-positive nerves in the conjunctiva of our MEN 2b patient may reflect a profound neural alteration.

Adult↗

Long-term neural regeneration in the rabbit following 180 degrees limbal incision.

Penetrating 180 degrees superior limbal incisions were made on the right eye of four adult New Zealand albino rabbits. The contralateral eye served as control. Corneal touch thresholds (CTT) for the central, superior and inferior cornea (2-3 mm from limbus) were determined 3, 9, 15, 24 and 30 months after surgery. In all animals, the CTT was significantly elevated in the superior region of the cornea throughout the measurement period. CTT was elevated in the central and inferior cornea 3 months following surgery and was not affected in the inferior cornea on all other occasions. The animals were then sacrificed and the corneas subjected to histochemical demonstration of acetylcholinesterase corneal nerves. All rabbits showed a reduction in the number of histochemically detectable stromal nerve trunks in the operated region. These stromal nerve trunks showed regenerative changes including abnormally curved course and a subnormal number of axons within a nerve trunk. Epithelial nerve fiber defects included absence or distorted architecture of the basal epithelial plexus and intra-epithelial terminals. These results indicate that although extensive stromal reinnervation had occurred, the extent and quality of stromal nerves was inadequate to restore a normal epithelial plexus and corneal sensitivity.

Animals↗

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactive nerves to the human eye.

Using immunohistochemical techniques, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is visualized in nerves distributed to the human eye. Immunoreactive nerve fibers occur about limbal blood vessels and within the trabecular meshwork. In the iris, free-running stromal nerves are the most common, but nerves to both dilator and sphincter muscles are present as well. Immunoreactive nerves are seen within the ciliary muscle and occasionally within a ciliary process. Innervation to choroidal blood vessels constitutes a prominent feature; innervation to more anterior uveal blood vessels is seen only irregularly. Immunoreactive to more anterior uveal blood vessels is seen only irregularly. Immunoreactive nerves are apposed to melanocytes throughout the uvea. The present findings extend prior reports in the human eye, indicating a potential role for VIP in ocular physiology. Additional neuroanatomical, biochemical and physiological studies are necessary to define fully the ocular function of VIP and to determine ultimely whether VIP has clinical and pharmacological implications.

Aqueous Humor↗

Histochemical evidence of limited reinnervation of human corneal grafts.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) positive nerve fibers were demonstrated histochemically in the normal human cornea and in 3 corneal grafts obtained after retransplantation. In the normal cornea AChE positive nerves form stromal nerve bundles, which divide into smaller branches contributing to the basal epithelial nerve plexus. Intraepithelial terminals are branches of this plexus. In a grafted cornea obtained 29 years after surgery the epithelium was innervated by a basal epithelial plexus, but only a few stromal nerve trunks had regenerated despite the long post-operative time. Corneal sensitivity had not returned to normal in this case. The remaining grafts, obtained less than 3 years after surgery, contained very few nerves. It seems that neither the architecture nor the density of corneal nerves fully regenerate in the graft cornea, and this probably explains why sensitivity does not return to normal.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Immunohistochemical evidence for preproenkephalin A synthesis in human retinoblastoma.

Human retinoblastoma contains clusters of cells immunoreactive for methionine-enkephalin and methionine-enkephalin-arginine-phenylalanine. Some tumour cells also exhibited methionine-enkephalin-arginine-glycine-leucine-like immunoreactivity. The results are in agreement with those obtained with similar testing of neuroblastoma cell cultures. It is concluded that some human retinoblastoma cells are capable of synthesizing preproenkephalin A or parts of this molecule.

Cells, Cultured↗

Substance P fibres in the anterior segment of the rabbit eye.

Some laboratories have obtained diverging results regarding the presence of substance P fibres in the cornea possibly because different antibodies were used. This has been further investigated by comparing results with several antibodies on identically treated sections from the anterior segment of rabbit eyes. In the uvea all antisera gave identical results showing substance P fibres in the iris and ciliary processes. In the cornea, on the other hand, polyclonal rabbit or guinea-pig antibodies gave high background fluorescence and no immunofluorescence fibres were detected. In contrast, the background staining was low with the monoclonal antibody so that substance p immunoreactive fibres could be demonstrated subepithelially, intraepithelially and in the corneal stroma.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical demonstration of substance P in the lower respiratory tract of the rabbit and not of man.

Substance P (SP)-immunoreactive nerve fibres were searched for at all levels of both fetal and adult human lower respiratory tract. Because the demonstrability of substance P immunoreactivity varies between different animal species, rabbit pulmonary tissue was also subjected to SP immunohistochemistry. Human irises and corneas served as positive human controls. The specimens were taken from 10 human lungs during pulmonary operations. Tracheal tissue was obtained from three patients during bronchoscopy. Five fetal human lungs were examined. Human specimens examined included the trachea, main bronchi, segmental bronchi, and peripheral pulmonary tissue. In addition, the tracheobronchial tissues of four rabbits were studied. SP immunoreaction was demonstrated in formaldehyde-fixed cryostat sections by either the indirect immunofluorescence technique or the peroxidase-antiperoxidase procedure. Both monoclonal and conventional antibodies to SP were tested. In the rabbit SP-immunoreactive nerves were found in both the submucosa and the smooth muscle layer of the main bronchi and trachea. Specimens from human trachea, bronchi, and bronchioli were all negative. Since the SP immunoreaction was easily demonstrated in both human cornea and human iris, it was concluded that there are no SP-immunoreactive nerves in the human pulmonary tissues or that their SP content is very low and below the sensitivity of all the techniques used.

Animals↗

Substance P immunoreaction and acetylcholinesterase activity in the cornea and Gasserian ganglion.

Nerves showing acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity or immunoreactivity for substance P (SP) were demonstrated in the human cornea. AChE-positive fibres were found in stromal nerve trunks from where they penetrated Bowman's membrane and formed a basal epithelial plexus. Intraepithelial terminals arose from this network. SP immunoreactive nerve fibres showed similar architecture but were fewer. Both SP immunoreaction and histochemical AChE reaction were demonstrated consecutively in the same tissue section cut from both human and rabbit cornea. Stromal nerve trunks were found to contain SP immunoreactive and AChE-positive nerve fibres. However, the AChE-positive fibres were much more frequent than those immunoreactive for SP. In the rabbit Gasserian ganglion all neurons showed AChE activity but only some 20% were SP positive. It is concluded that all the sensory trigeminal nerve fibres of the cornea show AChE activity but only a proportion of them contain SP-like material.

Acetylcholinesterase↗