Intracellular structures of retinal vascular endothelium in normal and early diabetic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the arrangement of microfilaments in retinal vascular endothelium is altered in early diabetes.


METHODS
F-actin and nuclei of retinal vascular endothelial cells of normal and diabetic (28 weeks postinduction) rats were examined using confocal microscopy.


RESULTS
An increase in the incidence of aberrant F-actin bundle arrangement in the diabetic retinal arteriole was observed, but there was no disruption of peripheral border F-actin. The diameter of superficial capillaries was increased in diabetic rats.


CONCLUSIONS
These changes may be related to the endothelial dysfunction demonstrated in a previous pharmacological study.
Lions Eye Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
P K
PK
Yu
D Y
DY
Yu
V A
VA
Alder
E N
EN
Su
S J
SJ
Cringle
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010477:Perfusion; D010590:Phalloidine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012235:Rhodamines
D000199:Actins; D012235:Rhodamines; D010590:Phalloidine