title: Reduced ocular glucose transport and increased non-electrolyte permeability in rats with retinal degeneration (RCS).
abstract: The transport kinetics across the plasma-ocular barriers of labeled molecules including urea, D-glucose, 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, L-glucose, and sucrose were studied in adult RCS rats and compared to control albino Sprague-Dawleys (SD). Results indicate that substances that passively cross the plasma-aqueous and plasma-vitreous barriers (urea, sucrose, L-glucose) do so more readily in the RCS rat especially via the trans-retinal route. By contrast, D-glucose, which penetrates the ocular barriers of the control rat by a carrier-mediated mechanism was found to cross the ocular barriers of the RCS rat at a reduced rate. Thus, the ocular barriers of the RCS rat with well developed retinal degeneration demonstrate an increase in passive permeability and a reduction in ability to perform their membrane transport function (D-glucose). The permeability defect was more pronounced in the blood-vitreous barrier than in the blood-aqueous barrier.
mesh_terms: D019325:3-O-Methylglucose; D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008757:Methylglucosides; D019325:3-O-Methylglucose; D013395:Sucrose; D014508:Urea; D005947:Glucose