Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · May 2011
Cone photoreceptor abnormalities correlate with vision loss in patients with Stargardt disease.
PURPOSE. To study the relationship between macular cone structure, fundus autofluorescence (AF), and visual function in patients with Stargardt disease (STGD). METHODS. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS. AOSLO imaging demonstrated abnormal cone spacing in regions of abnormal fundus AF and reduced visual function. These findings provide support for a model of disease progression in which lipofuscin accumulation results in homogeneously increased AF with cone spacing abnormalities, followed by heterogeneously increased AF with cone loss, then reduced AF with cone and RPE cell death.
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · May 2011
Identification of P2X₃ and P2X₇ purinergic receptors activated by ATP in rat lacrimal gland.
PURPOSE. To identify the type of purinergic receptors activated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in rat lacrimal gland and to determine their role in protein secretion. METHODS. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS. Purinergic receptors P2X(1-4) and P2X(6) are present in the lacrimal gland. ATP uses P2X(3) and P2X(7) receptors to stimulate an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and protein secretion.