title: The role of heredity in pterygium development.
abstract: Several risk factors, which include heredity, ultra-violet (UV) light and chronic inflammation, contribute to pterygium development. However, there is no report integrating these factors in the pathogenesis of pterygium. The aim of this review is to describe the connection between heredity, UV, and inflammation in pterygium development. Existing reports indicate that sunlight exposure is the main factor in pterygium occurrence by inducing growth factor production or chronic inflammation or DNA damage. Heredity may be a factor. Our studies on factors in pterygium occurrence and recurrence identify that heredity is crucial for pterygium to develop, and that sunlight is only a trigger, and that chronic inflammation promotes pterygium enlargement. We propose that genetic factors may interfere with the control of fibrovascular proliferation while UV light or (sunlight) most likely only triggers pterygium development by inducing growth factors which promote vibrant fibrovascular proliferation in predisposed individuals. It also just triggers inflammation and collagenolysis, which may be promoters of the enlargement of the fibrovascular mass. Pterygium probably occurs in the presence of exuberant collagen production and profuse neovascularisation.
authors: Department of Neurosciences, Division of Ophthalmology, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 7 York Road, Park Town 2193, South Africa.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Anguria
authors: Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of Limpopo Polokwane Campus, Private Bag X9316 Polokwane 0700, South Africa.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Kitinya
authors: Department of Public Health Medicine, University of Limpopo Polokwane Campus, Private Bag X9316 Polokwane 0700, South Africa.
authors: Sam
authors: S
authors: Ntuli
authors: Department of Neurosciences, Division of Ophthalmology, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 7 York Road, Park Town 2193, South Africa.
authors: Trevor
authors: T
authors: Carmichael
keywords: fibrovascular proliferation; growth factors; heredity; inflammation; pterygium; sunlight