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Understanding mechanisms of glaucomatous optic nerve damage is essential for developing new treatments to modulate axonal injury. This relies heavily on the development of reliable animal models of chronically elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). While several models have been developed for rodents over the years, injection of microbeads in the anterior chamber has gained increased popularity, due to surgical simplicity and a greater degree of success.1,2 Samsel et al. subsequently modified this approach by injecting magnetic microspheres and directing them into the anterior chamber angle with a magnet to improve efficiency of aqueous outflow obstruction.3
While specific methods for producing this model in rats appeared in an earlier volume of this journal,4 Ito et al. present a step-by-step description of producing this model in mice. They provide important details that help overcome the specific challenges presented by these small eyes, and the accompanying video nicely details specifics that are difficult to convey in words, such as microneedle construction and the injection technique.
The authors nicely document the IOP elevation and retinal ganglion cell and axonal effects in this model. Although total axon counts were found to be significantly reduced three weeks after injection, there was no further reduction by six weeks, despite continued elevation of IOP. The authors suggest that longer durations of observation may be required. However, initial IOP responses, not documented during the first few days after injection, could also be much higher than anticipated, which could lead to this initial injury, particularly in these small, more vulnerable eyes. Additionally, while IOP's are rightly carefully documented in awake animals, this is restricted to day-time measurements. Since IOP in mice is normally elevated in the dark phase of the circadian cycle,5 outflow obstruction may result in additional, significant night-time IOP elevations. Full documentation of the complete IOP response would further strengthen the utility of this model.