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Absorption of horse-radish peroxidase by the conjunctival epithelium of monkeys and rabbits

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Abstract

Horse-radish peroxidase was instilled into the conjunctival sac of rabbits and Cynomolgus monkeys. After an interval of 5, 30 or 60 min the conjunctival epithelium was studied by electron microscopy. The tracer was found to be absorbed predominantly by type-V cells, which are rich in mitochondria; this process was found to occur more rapidly in the rabbit than in the monkey. The particles were primarily incorporated into pinocytotic vesicles and phagosomes and were then either digested by phagolysosomes or transported through the basal portion of the surface epithelial cells into the expanding intercellular spaces distal to the junctional complexes.

Zusammenfassung

Meerrettichperoxydase (HRP) wurde in den Conjunctivalsack von Kaninchen und Cynomolgusaffen eingebracht und die Resorption morphologisch verfolgt. Nach verschiedenen zeitlichen Intervallen (5, 30 und 60 min) wurde das Conjunctivaepithel elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Es zeigte sich, daß HRP-Moleküle vornehmlich von Typ V-Zellen, die besonders reich an Mitochondrien sind, durch Pinozytose- oder Phagozytosevorgänge ins apikale Zytoplasma eingeschleust werden. Die Tracerpartikel werden anschließend entweder in Phagolysosomen verdaut oder in die sich stark erweiternden Interzellularspalten, die distal von den Zonulae occludentes liegen, transportiert. Diese Transportprozesse laufen beim Kaninchen wesentlich rascher ab als beim Affen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Krankenhausstraße 9, D-8520, Erlangen, Federal Republic of Germany

    P. Steuhl & J. W. Rohen

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  1. P. Steuhl
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  2. J. W. Rohen
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Supported by the Academy of Science and Literature, Mainz

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Steuhl, P., Rohen, J.W. Absorption of horse-radish peroxidase by the conjunctival epithelium of monkeys and rabbits. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 220, 13–18 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02307010

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02307010

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