IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL COMPARISON OF OCULAR ZONULES AND THE MICROFIBRILS OF ELASTIC TISSUE

Authors:
  • BSBW STREETEN
    BW STREETEN
  • PLPA LICARI
    PA LICARI
  • AMAA MARUCCI
    AA MARUCCI
  • RDRM DOUGHERTY
    RM DOUGHERTY
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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 21  (1) , 130-135
    • PMID:7019149
Abstract
Antibody to bovine zonules raised in rabbits gave diffuse staining of zonular fibrils with prominent accumulations at 35-45 nm sites of overbanding by means of the indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Antibody binding occurred in both fresh and paraffin-embedded material and was not species specific. The same pattern of heavy antibody binding and 35-45 nm periodicity was found on the microfibrils of elastic tissue in human and bovine ciliary body, calf ligamentum nuchae and chick aorta. This cross reaction is the first direct evidence of a structural similarity or identity between components of the zonules and the microfibrils of elastic tissue, correlating with similarities in their morphology and amino acid profiles. Interstitial collagen fibers appear to have a mininal quantity of antigenically similar material at crossbanding sites. These relationships may hold important clues to the site of systemic involvement in connective tissue diseases associated with lens dislocation. Zonular antibody should prove useful in investigating abnormalities of the zonular-elastic microfibrillar system and cross-banding sites.