FUNCTION OF AQUAPORIN OF RETINAL MUELLER CELLS IN RETINAL EDEMA AND DETACH MENT

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Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins and distribute widely in the eye. AQPs are reported to exist in Mueller cells and may play a role in the absorption of subretinal fluid and/or retinal edema.We demonstrated that AQP 4 exists in the retinal Mueller cells by using light microscopic immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, AQP 4 was revealed to exist in the plasma membrane of Mueller cells by immunoelectron microscopy.It is difficult to make the experimental retinal edema or retinal detachment in the rat eye. In this study, we performed retinal laser photocoagulation and edema occurred around the laser burns. In the retinal edema after laser photocoagulation, the expression of AQP 4 was increased around the retinal edema by immunohistochemistry.Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling was widely used in recent surgery of retinal macular hole or macular edema. ILM peeling facilitated the closure of macular hole and absorption of macular edema, but sometimes cystoid macular edema occurred for long time after surgery. We performed the ILM peeling and the immunohistochemistry for AQP 4 in surgically removed ILM.Colloidal golds which corresponded to AQP 4 location existed in the inner surface of surgically removed ILM.These results suggest AQP 4 in Mueller cells may play a role in absorption of retinal edema or subretinal fluid, and the damage of Mueller cells may cause the cystoid macular edema.