Nucleotides in ocular secretions: their role in ocular physiology.
The eye is the sense organ that permits the detection of light owing to the existence of a sophisticated neuronal array, called the retina, which is responsive to photons. The correct functioning of this complex system requires the coordination of several intraocular structures that ultimately permit the perfect focusing of images on the neural retina. Light has to pass through different media: the tear, the cornea, aqueous humour, lens, and vitreous humour before it reaches the retina. Moreover, the composition and structure of some of these media can change due to several physiological mechanisms. Nucleotides are active components of the humours bathing relevant ocular structures. The tear contains nucleotides and dinucleotides that control the process of tearing, wound healing and protects of superficial infections. In the inner eye, the aqueous humour also presents a collection of mono and dinucleotides that affect pupil contraction, aqueous humour production and accommodation. Behind the lens and between this structure and the retina the vitreous humour can modify the physiology of the retinal cells, mostly the ganglion cells. By investigating the actions of nucleotides and dinucleotide present in the ocular humours we will be able not only to understand the functioning of the ocular structures but also to develop new pharmacological therapies for pathologies such as dry eye, glaucoma or retinal detachment.
Departamento de Bioquímica, E.U. Optica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
Almudena
A
Crooke
Ana
A
Guzmán-Aranguez
Assumpta
A
Peral
M Khairul Anwar
MK
Abdurrahman
Jesús
J
Pintor
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000502:physiology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000502:physiology; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000502:physiology*; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000502:physiology; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing
D009711:Nucleotides; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate