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Glial and Mobile Cells in the Iris of the Aging Human Eye

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Age-Related Changes of the Human Eye

Part of the book series: Aging Medicine ((AGME))

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Abstract

This chapter describes the glial and mobile cells that can be found in the iris of the aging human eye. The glial cells of the eye can be divided in two principle classes: Macroglia and Microglia.

The Macroglia is of neuroectodermic origin and includes olygodendrocytes, Schwann cells, and astrocytes. Macroglia contains cells that regulate the neuronal metabolism and modulate neuronal functions. Moreover, macroglia regulates also the eye blood vessels functions. In the eye bulb, two cell types can be found as part of the macroglia: Müller cells and astrocytes.

Microglial cells are similar to the tissue macrophages. These cells are normally resting, but are sensitive to the pathological changes in the homeostasis of the various components of the eye. When the eye tissues undergo pathological changes, the microglial cells rapidly change into phagocytes capable of mobility. Moreover, the eye contains some types of cells, nonstructurally connected with the other, adjacent cells by mean of junctions, capability of migration, mobility, production of cytochines, and phagocytosis. These cells are named mobile or floating cells. Finally, endothelial cells and pericytes can be found in the eye, which flank the nerve cells and glial cells, or arrange themselves around the blood vessel walls. All these cells show strong age-related changes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. European Ophthalmic Neuroscience Program (Local Research Unit), University of Rome “La Sapienza,”, Rome, Italy

    Carlo A. P. Cavallotti MD, PhD

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata,”, Rome, Italy

    Angelica Cerulli MD

Authors
  1. Carlo A. P. Cavallotti MD, PhD
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  2. Angelica Cerulli MD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Morphological Sciences, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Rome, Italy

    Carlo A. P. Cavallotti MD, PhD

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    Luciano Cerulli MD, PhD

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© 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Cavallotti, C.A.P., Cerulli, A. (2008). Glial and Mobile Cells in the Iris of the Aging Human Eye. In: Cavallotti, C.A.P., Cerulli, L. (eds) Age-Related Changes of the Human Eye. Aging Medicine. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-507-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-507-7_7

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-934115-55-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-507-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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