[Pathogenesis and histopathology of pseudoexfoliative lesions. The eyeball disease or ocular manifestation of a generalized process?].
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome, known since nearly hundred years, is considered at present as generalized disorder of the extracellular substance metabolism, although its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. Its morphological manifestation includes accumulation of fibrillar material deposits in ocular tissues which may be a ground for various ocular pathologies, in particular the open-angle glaucoma for which the syndrome is the most common identifiable cause. In patients with ocular deposits aggregates of similar material were recently identified in the skin as well as in some internal organs (e.g. heart, lung, liver, kidney). However, their clinical significance is not clear--some evidences suggest their association with transient ischemic attacks or aortic aneurysm formation. Numerous recently presented epidemiological data and improvements in basic sciences brought a new insight into the syndrome, up to now regarded as a purely ophthalmologic matter. Histopathological features as well as actual knowledge on the pathogenesis of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome is described.
Lis
Grzegorz J
GJ
Katedra i Zakład Histologii Collegium Medicum, Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków. mmlis@cyf-kr.edu.pl
D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000473:pathology; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000473:pathology; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000473:pathology