Intracellular Signalling in Retinal Ischemia

Abstract : In vivo models of retinal ischemia, using laser induced vein obstruction were created and evaluated by non-invasive measurement of vessel permeability and flow, and by histofluorescence of intravenously injected dyes, fluorescein and Evans Blue. We concluded that this model was not reproducible enough to use for the ischemia studies. We have begun experiments with a global retinal vessel ligation model, which will occlude both the retinal and choroidal circulation. We will use this model to evaluate the in vivo characteristics of calcium mobilization and the ability of selected drugs that could affect ischemic injury, reperfusion injury and calcium mobilization. Keywords: Calcium; Retina; Brain; Ischemia; Glutamate; Secondary Ion mass spectrometry; Electrolytes; Permeability; Laser; Vein occlusion; Angiography.