title: Effects of tear substitutes on conjunctival epithelium of mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of the administration of three tear substitutes on normal conjunctival epithelium of the mouse, with particular regard to goblet cells, were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-month-old Swiss CD 1 mice were divided into four groups of 7 animals each. Group 1 was untreated (control). The other animals were treated with the instillation of 5 drops/day for 10 days as follows: group 2, 0.2% sodium hyaluronate (SH); group 3, 0.5% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC); group 4, 0.9% NaCl. The entire conjunctiva was processed for light and electron microscopy. A morphometric study was performed to evaluate: the number and size of goblet cells and the number, size and optical density of mucin granules. Furthermore, Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff (AB/PAS) staining for goblet cells was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SH-treated group showed that the area and number of goblet cells were similar to the untreated group; the mucin granules were reduced in number and optical density but increased in size. The HPMC-treated group showed a reduced area of goblet cells with reduced optical density of mucin granules. The saline-treated group showed that goblet cells were reduced in area and number; mucin granules showed a reduction in number and optical density and an increased size. The AB/PAS stain showed that each treatment was able to induce a treatment-specific modification of the staining characteristics of goblet cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results strongly suggest that tear substitutes can induce treatment-specific modifications of the conjunctival epithelium with particular regard to goblet cell structure and ultrastructure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Specialties, Section of Ophthalmology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico G. Martino, Messina, Italy. paragona@unime.it
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Micali
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paladino
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferreri
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puzzolo
mesh_terms: D000423:Alcian Blue; D000818:Animals; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D009077:Mucins; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D008747:Methylcellulose; D000423:Alcian Blue