title: NMR spectroscopy of human eye tissues: a new insight into ocular biochemistry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human eye is a complex organ whose anatomy and functions has been described very well to date. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the biochemistry and metabolic properties of eye tissues varies. Our objective was to reveal the biochemical differences between main tissue components of human eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneas, irises, ciliary bodies, lenses, and retinas were obtained from cadaver globes 0-1/2 hours postmortem of 6 male donors (age: 44-61 years). The metabolic profile of tissues was investigated with HR MAS 1H NMR spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 29 metabolites were assigned in the NMR spectra of the eye tissues. Significant differences between tissues were revealed in contents of the most distant eye-tissues, while irises and ciliary bodies showed minimal biochemical differences. ATP, acetate, choline, glutamate, lactate, myoinositol, and taurine were identified as the primary biochemical compounds responsible for differentiation of the eye tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we showed for the first time the results of the analysis of the main human eye tissues with NMR spectroscopy. The biochemical contents of the selected tissues seemed to correspond to their primary anatomical and functional attributes, the way of the delivery of the nutrients, and the location of the tissues in the eye.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Edvard Griegs Gate. 8, 3. Etg., 7489 Trondheim, Norway ; Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kryczka
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, District Railway Hospital, 40-001 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wylęgała
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, District Railway Hospital, 40-001 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobrowolski
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Edvard Griegs Gate. 8, 3. Etg., 7489 Trondheim, Norway ; Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Midelfart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D025341:Principal Component Analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids