Quantitative study of characteristic aqueous humor transferrin, serum transferrin and desialized serum transferrin in aqueous humor.

Total transferrin (Tf) concentration and relative percentages of its subfractions, ie, characteristic aqueous humor Tf (Tfah), serum Tf (Tfs) and desialized serum Tf (Tau), in the aqueous humor of 30 patients were determined. According to the total Tf concentration, these patients were divided into the group with intact or mildly damaged blood aqueous barrier (BAB), consisting of cataract, glaucoma and central retinal artery occlusion patients, and the severely damaged BAB group, consisting of uveitis patients. In the intact or mildly damaged group, Tfah, Tfs and Tau revealed constant ratios of 60%, 26% and 14%; while in the severely damaged group, a relatively high concentration of Tfs was observed. There is only Tfs in the serum, therefore, theoretically, damage of the BAB should lead to an immediate increase of the relative concentration of Tfs in the aqueous humor. Because it did not occur until the BAB had been severely damaged, the possibility of an intraocular interchange of the 3 Tf subfractions is suggested.