[The influence of pressure on human lamina cribrosa cell and its collagen synthesis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the influence of pressure on human lamina cribrosa cell (HLC) and its synthesis of collagen.


METHODS
HLCs were cultured in vitro and submitted to elevated hydrostatic pressure, their changes in morphology were observed by light and electron microscopy and their synthesis of collagen was measured with fluorescence spectrophotometer.


RESULTS
Under a hydrostatic pressure of 6.67 kPa (1 kPa = 7.5 mmHg), the flat and polygonal HLCs became elongated. Vacuoles appeared in the cytoplasm and increased as the pressure persisted. The mitochondria were swollen, some of them turned into vacuoles, and myelin figures were found in the cytoplasm. When exposed to elevated pressure for 3 days, the amounts of synthesized collagen type I, III, IV were 43.95 +/- 6.37, 61.35 +/- 10.35 and 82.90 +/- 11.36 arbitrary unit (AU) by fluorometry respectively, and compared to controls, they were statistically significantly (P < 0.05) increased; after 5 days of pressure exposure, the amounts were 33.50 +/- 6.94, 40.85 +/- 12.30 and 80.45 +/- 14.65 AU, e.g., still increased.


CONCLUSIONS
It is indicated that under pressure, HLCs undergo obvious morphological changes and increase their synthesis of collagen types I, III and IV.
Luo
X
X
Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tong ji Medical University, Wuhan 430022.
Wei
H
H
Liu
S
S
Lü
Y
Y
Zhang
Y
Y
D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
D003094:Collagen