images https://www.fiteyes.com/taxonomy/term/289/all en The two most important facts you should know about glaucoma https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-two-most-important-facts-you-should-know-about-glaucoma <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-two-most-important-facts-you-should-know-about-glaucoma" st_title="The%20two%20most%20important%20facts%20you%20should%20know%20about%20glaucoma" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-two-most-important-facts-you-should-know-about-glaucoma" st_title="The%20two%20most%20important%20facts%20you%20should%20know%20about%20glaucoma" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-two-most-important-facts-you-should-know-about-glaucoma" st_title="The%20two%20most%20important%20facts%20you%20should%20know%20about%20glaucoma" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Trabecular Meshwork Cell (detail)</strong></p> <p><img alt="Trabecular Meshwork Cell (detail)" height="375" src="/sites/fiteyes.com/files/trabecular2.jpg" width="500" /></p> <p>This is the winning image for North America -- IN Cell Image Competition. It shows the internal structure of a single trabecular meshwork cell.</p> <p>In this image, DNA has been stained blue, so the large clumps of blue just above centre are the cell's nucleus. <strong>Red lines are filaments of actin spread throughout the cell</strong>, while the green patches at their tips are the focal adhesions.</p> <p>In my opinion, the two facts listed below are the most important facts you need to understand about glaucoma.  </p> <p><strong>Fact #1: The trabecular meshwork is a contractile tissue</strong>. So is the uveoscleral (nonconventional) pathway.</p> <p>Elaboration: The trabecular meshwork is considered the primary site where the fluid (aqueous humor) leaves the eye, and it is a crucial determinant of intraocular pressure. Aqueous humor from inside the eye must flow through the trabecular meshwork to reach Schlemm’s canal where it can flow freely into the aqueous veins.</p> <p>The trabecular meshwork possesses smooth-muscle-like properties. The trabecular meshwork can be induced to contract and relax. When it is contracted, resistance to the fluid flow increases (leading to increased intraocular pressure).</p> <p>The uveoscleral pathway is a pathway directly through the muscle fibers of the base of the ciliary process. The spaces in between those muscle fibers are also closed down when this tissue contracts (again, leading to increased intraocular pressure).</p> <p>Therefore, when there is contraction of these tissues, both points of exit for the aqueous humor are restricted. BTW, ligaments from the muscles of the ciliary process also extend into the trabecular meshwork.</p> <p><strong>Fact #2:  All glaucomas have a final common pathway of retinal ganglion cell death involving low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress</strong> (as well as mitochondrial dysfunction and glial hyperactivation, both of which have a relationship to  inflammation and oxidative stress).</p> <p>In my opinion, these are the two most important facts to understand about glaucoma. Why is that so? Look for a series of articles to continue this discussion on FitEyes.com.</p> <p> </p> <p>(Image source: <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16308-inner-workings-of-cells">http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16308-inner-workings-of-cells</a>)</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/trabecular-meshwork">trabecular meshwork</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/images">images</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/cells">cells</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/photographs">photographs</a></li></ul></div> Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:28:46 +0000 dave 943 at https://www.fiteyes.com Images of Trabecular Meshwork Cells https://www.fiteyes.com/images-of-trabecular-meshwork-cells <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/images-of-trabecular-meshwork-cells" st_title="Images%20of%20Trabecular%20Meshwork%20Cells" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/images-of-trabecular-meshwork-cells" st_title="Images%20of%20Trabecular%20Meshwork%20Cells" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/images-of-trabecular-meshwork-cells" st_title="Images%20of%20Trabecular%20Meshwork%20Cells" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>These images come from GE's IN Cell Image Competition. The source article can be found here: <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16308-inner-workings-of-cells/1">http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16308-inner-workings-of-cells/1</a></p> <p>See comments below the images.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14029268@N07/3133668370/" title="Trabecular Meshwork Cells 1 by fiteyes.com, on Flickr"><img alt="Trabecular Meshwork Cells 1" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/3133668370_c3e31cce26.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></p> <p>The trabecular meshwork is a key component of the eye, found at the base of the cornea (the transparent layer covering the front of the eye). It helps to drain liquid from between the cornea and the lens.<br /><br />If the trabecular meshwork does not work properly, too much liquid builds up. The resulting increase in pressure is the number one treatable risk factor for glaucoma. Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy, which can lead to permanent loss of vision, which may progress to complete blindness if left untreated.<br /><br />Many scientists are trying to understand the trabecular meshwork, in the hope of finding better treatments for glaucoma.<br /><br />These cells are from the trabecular meshwork of a pig. Blue and green stains show, respectively, actin and tubulin - two key proteins that help maintain the shape of the cells and their interconnections. Red dots show focal adhesions, which are assemblies on the cells' outer membranes that allow them to interact with their surroundings.</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14029268@N07/3132846183/" title="Trabecular Meshwork Cells 2 by fiteyes.com, on Flickr"><img alt="Trabecular Meshwork Cells 2" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/3132846183_20b8ac4013_o.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a></p> <p>This close-up shows the internal structure of a single trabecular meshwork cell.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this image, DNA has been stained blue, so the large clumps of blue just above centre are the cell's nucleus. Red lines are filaments of actin spread throughout the cell, while the green patches at their tips are the focal adhesions.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/trabecular-meshwork">trabecular meshwork</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/iop">IOP</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/images">images</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/cells">cells</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/photos">photos</a></li></ul></div> Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:50:00 +0000 dave 347 at https://www.fiteyes.com