title: N-ethylmaleimide increases the facility of aqueous outflow of excised monkey and calf eyes.
abstract: Freshly enucleated eyes were quantitatively perfused via the anterior chamber at 15 mm Hg pressure with various concentrations of the sulfhydryl (-SH) agent. N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). In the monkey eye a dosage of 9.4 mM NEM produced a 108% increase in facility of outflow. In calf eyes a dosage of NEM of 4.7 mM or greater also produced a significant increase in outflow facility. At the threshold dosage of 4.7 mM NEM there was only slight (12%) inhibition of glycolysis in the calf meshwork, which was excised after perfusion. The results suggest that the effect of NEM on outflow facility is not caused by a metabolic inhibitory action. We propose that alteration of cell membrane -SH groups in the outflow pathways can influence aqueous outflow resistance.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008251:Macaca; D010215:Papio; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005033:Ethylmaleimide