Fluorescent Low Density Lipoprotein and Acetylated Low Density Lipoprotein Labeling of Cultured Bovine Trabecular Endothelial Cells

A preliminary study was performed to investigate the staining characteristics of trabecular endothelial cells with low density lipoprotein (LDL) and acetylated low density lipoprotein (Ac-LDL) labeled with a fluorescent probe, 1, 1´-dioctadecyl-3, 3, 3´, 3´-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate(Dil). Trabecular endothelial cells revealed a strong fluorescence with Dil-LDL, which was contradictory to the previous results obtained from other types of endothelial cells. These cells also showed a moderate fluorescence with Dil-Ac-LDL. Scleral fibroblasts and keratocytes showed a moderate to strong fluorescence with Dil-LDL and a weak fluorescence with Dil-Ac-LDL. Corneal endothelial cells revealed a very weak background fluorescence with Dil-LDL and a moderate fluorescence with Dil-Ac-LDL. Therefore, these four kinds of cells could not be definitely differentiated depending only on the staining characteristics with Dil-LDL and Dil-Ac-LDL.