Age-related changes in the human retina.

摘要: Abstract Background: In a previous study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed agerelated changes in the rat retina. We carried out study to evaluate age-related human Methods: Samples of fresh retinal tissue obtained from younger (age 22 years or less) and older 66 more) donors were studied by means traditional histologic methods SEM. Eight retinas four whose corneas had been used for transplantation, subjects eyes enucleated owing injury. All morphologic results subjected quantitative analysis images. The concentration cytoplasmic (free) structural (tissue-associated) protein homogenates was determined biochemical methods. Results: There decrease all features with exception concentration.The mean thickness (and standard error mean) 426 (34.2) μm 261 (18.9) subjects. numbers ganglion cells 413.5/mm 2 (32.3/mm ) 256.2/mm (26.8/mm respectively, capillaries 3.6/mm (1.4/mm 1.8/mm (1.2/mm synaptic bodies 122.4 (4.9) conventional units (CU)/area observed 38.5 (1.6) CU/area cellular processes 82.3 (3.1) 13.1 (1.5) intercellular connections 36.4 (2.5) 14.3 (1.4) respectively. total per milligram 92.1 (1.8) μg 78.7 (1.3) subjects; corresponding values 27.6 11.8 (0.8) μg, protein, 64.4 86.9 μg. differences between significant ( p μ 0.001) protein. Interpretation: retina undergoes specific aging. SEM provides new morphometric information regarding photoreceptor cells, bipolar that increases our understanding this topic. Our may be adopted as model normal when studying other occur pathological conditions.