Aldose reductase localization in human retinal mural cells.

A hallmark of early diabetic retinopathy is the selective loss of the retinal mural cells (pericytes) from vessels. Using antibodies prepared against purified human placental aldose reductase, the presence of the enzyme aldose reductase can be demonstrated immunohistochemically in the cytoplasm of retinal mural cells of trypsin-digested human retinal vessels. This enzyme, which reduces various hexose sugars to their sugar alcohols, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diabetic complications.