Effect of monosodium glutamate on retinal vessel development and permeability in rats.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) administered to neonatal rats on postnatal days 1 to 10 caused a generalized degeneration of the inner retinal layers. MSG administered only on postnatal days 8, 9, 10, and/or 11 caused a retinopathy limited to more peripheral retinal areas corresponding to currently existing regions of immature retinal vessels. Ink-injected retinal vessel studies showed a delay in development of the retinal vessel network but no alterations in vessel patency. Fluorescence microscopic examination of freeze-dried tissues revealed to abnormalities of the blood-retinal barriers to sodium fluorescein. We conclude, as demonstrated by these methods, that MSG retards development of the retinal vessels but does not affect development of the blood-retinal barriers. The retinotoxic effect of MSG apparently results from a mechanism(s) other than a breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005971:Glutamates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010539:Permeability; D051381:Rats; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012970:Sodium Glutamate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology
D005971:Glutamates; D012970:Sodium Glutamate