IMMUNOLOGIAL APPROACHES TO OUTER SEGMENT DISASSEMBLY

这项研究旨在更准确地了解 视杆外节（ROS）盘的脱落及其被 视网膜色素上皮（RPE）。 随着新光盘的更新， 这一过程构成感光膜的翻转， 维持正常的视觉功能。 脱落吞噬作用是一种 多步骤的过程，可能是由几个调节协调， 阶段 这些过程包括视觉细胞外膜的正常粘附， 节段的RPE，以及有序的光盘脱离，吞噬细胞摄取 和退化。 虽然这两种细胞类型之间的合作， 每个人所扮演的具体角色仍有疑问。 使用一个过程， 分离上皮和视网膜并重建它们的功能 在体外的相互作用，我们建议开始分析的各个阶段， 脱落-吞噬作用 为了补充这种方法，高度敏感和 选择性免疫化学技术将应用于这个问题， 为了鉴定和表征大分子， 机械地。 针对上皮细胞的异源抗血清， 感光器表面将在兔子中升高， 选择程序，用作视网膜附着和识别的探针 脱落的活性氧盘 此外，将产生单克隆抗体， RPE细胞积极参与盘摄取以识别抗原 其在吞噬作用的摄取阶段起作用。 这些 免疫球蛋白分子将反过来用作免疫球蛋白的试剂。 涉及的细胞成分的生物化学分离。 希望随着 一个军火库这样的免疫化学探针在手， 细胞相互作用的性质的描述，进展可以在 了解ROS分解的过程。

This research is directed toward a more precise understanding of the shedding of rod outer segment (ROS) discs and their phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Together with the renewal of new discs, this process constitutes the turnover of photoreceptive membrane which is necessary to maintain proper visual function. Shedding-phagocytosis is a multistep process which is probably coordinated by regulation at several stages. These processes include the normal adhesion of visual cell outer segments to the RPE, as well as orderly disc detachment, phagocytic uptake and degradation. Although a collaboration between both cell types, the specific roles played by each are still in doubt. Using a procedure for separating epithelium and retina and reconstituting their functional interactions in vitro, we propose to begin analyzing various stages in shedding-phagocytosis. To complement this approach, highly sensitive and selective immunochemical techniques will be applied to this problem in order to identify and characterize macromolecules which function mechanistically. Heteroantisera directed towards epithelial and photoreceptor surfaces will be raised in rabbits and, after appropriate selection procedures, used as probes of retinal attachment and recognition of shed ROS discs. In addition, monoclonal antibodies will be generated to RPE cells actively engaged in disc uptake in order to identify antigens which function in the ingestion phase of phagocytosis. These immunoglobulin molecules will in turn be used as reagents for the biochemical isolation of cell constituents involved. It is hoped that with an arsenal of such immunochemical probes in hand and with a better description of the nature of cellular interactions, progress can be made in understanding the process of ROS disassembly.