December 2002
Volume 43, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   December 2002
Ultrastructure of the Cornea in Zinc-deficient Rat Fetuses
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • H Hayashida
    Dept of Ophthalmol & Vis Sci Nagasaki Univ Sch Med Nagasaki Japan
  • Z-Y Lu
    Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science Nagasaki University School of Medicine Nagasaki Japan
  • T Amemiya
    Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science Nagasaki University School of Medicine Nagasaki Japan
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   H. Hayashida, None; Z. Lu, None; T. Amemiya, None.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science December 2002, Vol.43, 3212. doi:
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      H Hayashida, Z-Y Lu, T Amemiya; Ultrastructure of the Cornea in Zinc-deficient Rat Fetuses . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2002;43(13):3212.

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Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose:To study ultrastructual changes of the cornea in zinc-deficient rat fetuses. Methods:Pregnant Wistar Kyoto rats were fed a zinc-deficient diet and distilled and deionized water starting on the 5th day pregnant. Twelve-,17-, and 20- day old fetuses were used. The fetuses of normal rats fed a usual diet were used as controls. Transmission electron micoscopy(TEM) study: enucleated eyes were fixed in 4% glutaralaldehyde and Caufield osmium, embedded in Lubeak 812. The cornea was examined by TEM (Hitachi H-300 and JOEL2100). Results:In Zinc-deficient rats, the microvilli of the epthelium are sparse, and the development of the epithelium is delayed, ribosomes are decreased, tonofibrils sparse with ill-formed bundles, the density of collagen fibers in the corneal stroma is decreased, and mitochondria in the endothelial cells are fewer than in the control rats. Conclusion:The development of the cornea was delayed in all layers in Zn deficient rat fetuses. Zn is related to collagen metabolism and to protein and nucleic acid sythesis as Zn- containing enzymes. Thus Zn deficiency may lead to maldevelopment of the corneal stroma and inactive nuclear division of epithelial cells, Zn is necessary for the development of immature tissue.

Keywords: 370 cornea: basic science • 472 microscopy: electron microscopy • 506 pathology: experimental 
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