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Abstract #50386 Published in IGR 14-2
Retinal ganglion cell morphology after optic nerve crush and experimental glaucoma
Kalesnykas G; Oglesby EN; Zack DJ; Cone FE; Steinhart MR; Tian J; Pease ME; Quigley HAInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2012; 53: 3847-3857
See also comment(s) by Chris Leung •
PURPOSE: To study sequential changes in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) morphology in mice after optic nerve crush and after induction of experimental glaucoma. METHODS: Nerve crush or experimental glaucoma was induced in mice that selectively express yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in RGCs. Mice were euthanized 1, 4, and 9 days after crush and 1, 3, and 6 weeks after induction of glaucoma by bead injection. All YFP-RGCs were identified in retinal whole mounts. Then confocal images of randomly selected RGCs were quantified for somal fluorescence brightness, soma size, neurite outgrowth, and dendritic complexity (Sholl analysis). RESULTS: By 9 days after crush, 98% of RGC axons died and YFP-RGCs decreased by 64%. After 6 weeks of glaucoma, 31% of axons died, but there was no loss of YFP-RGC bodies. All crush retinas combined had significant decreases in neurite outgrowth parameters (P ≤ 0.036, generalized estimating equation [GEE] model) and dendritic complexity was lower than controls (P = 0.017, GEE model). There was no change in RGC soma area after crush. In combined glaucoma data, the RGC soma area was larger than control (P = 0.04, GEE model). At 3 weeks, glaucoma RGCs had significantly larger values for dendritic structure and complexity than controls (P = 0.044, GEE model), but no statistical difference was found at 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: After nerve crush, RGCs and axons died rapidly, and dendritic structure decreased moderately in remaining RGCs. Glaucoma caused an increase in RGC dendrite structure and soma size at 3 weeks.
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Full articleClassification:
5.1 Rodent (Part of: 5 Experimental glaucoma; animal models)
3.1 Microscopy (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)