Summary
A single intravitreal injection of 20 μg of colchicine induces remarkable alterations in several retinal structures, which are accompanied by lost of pupilar reflex, deficit in visual behaviour and finally temporary blindness. The pigment cells revealed, after colchicine administration the presence of dense bodies, vacuolae and mitochondrial damage. Outer segments of photoreceptors presented fragmentation, lysis and final dissapearance of the laminar structure. Inner segments showed vacuolization and mitochondrial alteration. Some bipolar and ganglion neurons showed vacuolization and accumulation of filaments in the soma. The effects on the visual cells are related to a possible action on the formation and removal of the outer segments. The effects on the neurons are discussed in relation with the action of colchicine on other CNS neurons and with the blocking action of this drug on axoplasmic flow.
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This work was supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, and Fight for Sight, Inc. N.Y. (Grant in Aid No. G-340).
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Vaccarezza, O.L., Pasqualini, E. & Saavedra, J.P. Retinal alterations induced by intravitreous colchicine. Virchows Arch. Abt. B Zellpath. 12, 159–167 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893995
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893995