Stamer W Daniel, Clark Abbot F
Departments of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Ft. Worth, TX, United States.
Exp Eye Res. 2017 May;158:112-123. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2016.07.009. Epub 2016 Jul 19.
With the combined purpose of facilitating useful vision over a lifetime, a number of ocular cells have evolved specialized features not found elsewhere in the body. The trabecular meshwork (TM) cell at the irido-corneal angle, which is a key regulator of intraocular pressure, is no exception. Examination of cells in culture isolated from the human TM has shown that they are unique in many ways, displaying characteristic features of several different cell types. Thus, these neural crest derived cells display expression patterns and behaviors typical of endothelia, fibroblasts, smooth muscle and macrophages, owing to the multiple roles and two distinct environments where they operate to maintain intraocular pressure homeostasis. In most individuals, TM cells function normally over a lifetime in the face of persistent stressors, including phagocytic, oxidative, mechanical and metabolic stress. Study of TM cells isolated from ocular hypertensive eyes has shown a compromised ability to perform their daily duties. This review highlights the many responsibilities of the TM cell and its challenges, progress in our understanding of TM biology over the past 30 years, as well as discusses unanswered questions about TM dysfunction that results in IOP dysregulation and glaucoma.
为了促进一生的有用视力，许多眼细胞进化出了身体其他部位所没有的特殊特征。位于虹膜角膜角的小梁网（TM）细胞也不例外，它是眼内压的关键调节者。对从人TM分离出的培养细胞进行检查发现，它们在许多方面都很独特，表现出几种不同细胞类型的特征。因此，这些神经嵴衍生细胞表现出内皮细胞、成纤维细胞、平滑肌细胞和巨噬细胞的典型表达模式和行为，这是由于它们在维持眼内压稳态中发挥多种作用且处于两种不同环境。在大多数个体中，TM细胞在面对包括吞噬、氧化、机械和代谢应激等持续应激源时，一生都能正常发挥功能。对从高眼压眼中分离出的TM细胞的研究表明，它们履行日常职责的能力受损。本综述强调了TM细胞的诸多职责及其面临的挑战、过去30年我们对TM生物学的理解进展，以及讨论了关于导致眼压调节异常和青光眼的TM功能障碍的未解决问题。
