title: [Histopathology and ultrastructure changes of retina in rats exposed to n-hexane].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the injury in the retina of rats exposed to n-hexane.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two SD male rats were randomly divided into control group and four n-hexane groups. The rats in the four n-hexane groups inhaled 35.2 g/m3 n-hexane statically for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days respectively (6 rats in every group) while 8 rats in the control group inhaled air. Histopathology and ultrastructure changes of the retina of rats were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats in control group had clear layers of retinal structure, stained evenly and with regular cell shape. Retinal degeneration was observed in the rats exposed to n-hexane for 7 d and 14 d, and aggravated by degrees with time exposed to n-hexane. In the rats exposed to n-hexane for 14 d, the outer segments of photoreceptor were arranged in a confusing order, and topically there appeared dissolution; in the inner segments, mitochondria were swollen or disappeared. Pyknotic chromatin and cytoplasmic edema were observed in the outer nuclear layer. There were degeneration of horizontal cells, bipolar cells and amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer. Cytoplasmic edema and organelle dissolution were observed in ganglionic cells. In the neurofibromas layer, outer and inner plexiform layers, there was neuron cell tuber edema, and the microfilament and vacuole of synapse decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histopathology and ultrastructure of retina are damaged in the rats exposed to n-hexane, thus leading to ocular fundus disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalology, Guangzhou 12nd People' Hospital, Guangzhou 510620, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jin-Tang
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fu-Xing
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006586:Hexanes / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D006586:Hexanes; C026385:n-hexane