Aldose reductase localization in dog retinal mural cells

The selective degeneration of retinal mural cells, a hallmark of early human diabetic retinopathy, has also been reported to occur in both diabetic and galactose-fed dogs. By employing antibodies raised against purified dog lens aldose reductase the presence of aldose reductase can be immunohistochemically demonstrated in the cytoplasm of mural cells but not endothelial cells of dog retinal vessels isolated by trypsin digestion. This immunohistochemical staining is similar to that observed with isolated human retinal vessels.