A clinician with limited research experience proposes a pilot project to study the modulation by subretinal fluid of Na+K+ ATPase in retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) in an experimental model of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in rabbits. This project has special clinical relevance to the pathophysiology of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment including Na+K+ ATPase mediated disturbance of Intracellular and extracellular ionic homostasis, altered fluid and nutrient transport, recurrent detachment secondary to proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and incomplete photoreceptor functional recovery after retinal reattachment. In this study alterations in RPE Na+K+ ATPase pump number (as measured y 3H-ouabain binding) and pump function (as determined by 86Rb uptake) will be assayed in rabbit eyecups at two time periods after creation of experimental detachments. Additionally, subretinal fluid collected from eyes with RDs will be asayed for short-term modulation of Rpe pump activity by measurement of 86Rb uptake in cultured human RPE cells. The long-term goal of this project is to develop the experimental techniques and background data to form the basis of an RO1 grant application to study modulation of Na+K+ ATPase and other transport systems in human RPE and retinal glial cell cultures, and in experimental models of diabetes and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
| Fulcher, S F; Foulks, G N; Wilkerson, M et al. (1992) Inhibition of human corneal epithelium with immunotoxin 454A12-rRA. Cornea 11:413-7 |
| Jaffe, G J; Earnest, K; Fulcher, S et al. (1990) Antitransferrin receptor immunotoxin inhibits proliferating human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Arch Ophthalmol 108:1163-8 |
