Projects / Programmes
ROLE OF LENS EPITHELIAL CELLS IN DEVELOPMENT OF CATARACT
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.03.00 |
Medical sciences |
Neurobiology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B620 |
Biomedical sciences |
Ophtalmology |
cristalline lens, cataract, lens epithelial cells
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
28627 |
PhD Sofija Anđelić |
Neurobiology |
Head |
2007 - 2009 |
76 |
Organisations (1)
Significance for science
This postdoctoral project included the basic research of the principal processes and the mechanisms of functioning of the lens epithelial cells, as well as the translation research that explore the connection between pathophysiological changes of the principal cell functions and the mechanisms that are present in different types of cataracts. The work of the research laboratory of the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana is focused on the better understanding of the mechanisms and as the consequence, on the better healing, diagnosing and prevention of the development of the cataract diseases. The collaboration with the medical doctors that did the diagnosis of the cataract types and the surgical operation, give as the possibility of comparing the changes in the functioning of the lens epithelial cells with the cataract types. The cataract is one of the main causes of the vision damages in old people and with the fast increase of the age of the population, in Slovenia as in Europe, is one reason more, that many laboratories in the world are working on that problematic. The research laboratory as the part of the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre has the unique possibility to do the research on the tissue of lens epithelia available immediately after being removed during the cataract surgery, which is otherwise thrown away upon the surgery. Most of the other laboratories do the research on the cell cultures or the animal preparations, what gives the advantage to our laboratory, as in comparison with them, our preparation the most closely represents the natural conditions in the human eyes, so the measurements and the results are the closest to the real condition. In comparison with the cell cultures, our preparation has preserved contacts and communication among the cells. The results we have obtained and the phenomenon of the contractions of the lens epithelial cell, we have described, were to our knowledge, not described before. The phenomenon of contraction opens the possibilities for better understanding of the functions of the lens epithelia and the transport through it. The lens epithelia is metabolically active part of the lens that also separates the aqueous humor and the lens fiber cells and is the barrier for the transport of the liquids and the electrolytes to the deeper part of the lens. As a consequence, the contractions of the lens epithelium would have important influence on the functioning of the lens and the development of the cataract. The result of this postdoctoral project are of importance both for the basic and translational, applicative science.
Significance for the country
The postdoctoral project helped forming and starting of the new research laboratory at the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana. At the moment, it is the only laboratory in Slovenia focused on the research of the human eyes preparation. The work is mainly focused on the research of the diseases on the cellular level, the level of the basic science that is very developed in the world. The research is done on the preparations of the Slovenian population and in this way helps to the better description and the understanding of the disease states and their development in Slovenia. Therefore we believe that in Slovenia the competent laboratory that follows and sustains the world tendencies in science is developing. The results of the research were already presented on the international congresses and conferences as the Ever and Pro-retina are. In this context, we can say that the affirmation of this research laboratory in the international scientific environment has already started. The connections with the research groups in Slovenia and abroad have been created. Postdoctoral project has confirmed that the equipment that is present at the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, together with the good collaboration between the expertise of doctors and scientists, at the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, can give the attractive science and the results, in the area of meeting of basic and applicative science and updating with clinical knowledge and good clinical practice, on the competitive world level. The first results are accepted for the publication in the Slovenian Medical Journal. The article for the journal IOVS is in the last phase of preparation for submission. The basic research is the base for the development and with the investment in science, Slovenia invests in the future and the advancement of the competitiveness to the other countries of the developed world, in the same time investing in the long term resolving of the problems of the eye vision of the human population of Slovenia and broader. Among the eye diseases, most of them are the consequence of aging, and consecutively, the decrease of the quality of the life. One of the most common diseases that affects the old population is the cataract, the clouding of the lens within the eye, causing blurred vision, what is an important information considering the fact that population in Slovenia and developed world is going older, having as a consequence that the lens and cataract research is the timely investment in the solution of the increasing economical requests of healing of older population. Better understanding of the causes and the mechanisms of the cataract development, to which this postdoctoral project, accomplished at the Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana have contributed, has as the long term scope, together with the understanding of the pathophysiology of the diseases of the lens and the eye, increase in the quality of the life in parallel with decreasing of the healing costs.
Most important scientific results
Final report,
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Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report,
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