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Changes in retinal ganglion cell morphology after optic nerve crush and experimental glaucoma
Author(s) -
KALESNYKAS G
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.3834.x
Subject(s) - retinal ganglion cell , glaucoma , yellow fluorescent protein , neurite , optic nerve , retinal , soma , biology , ganglion , ophthalmology , retina , anatomy , neuroscience , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Abstract Purpose To study sequential changes in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) morphology in mice after induction of experimental glaucoma. Methods Experimental glaucoma was induced in mice that selectively express yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in RGCs. Mice were sacrificed 1, 3 and 6 weeks after induction of glaucoma by bead injection. All YFP‐RGCs were identified in retinal whole‐mounts. Confocal images of randomly selected RGCs were quantified for somal fluorescence brightness, soma size, neurite outgrowth, and dendritic complexity (Sholl analysis). Results After 6 weeks of glaucoma, 31% of axons died, but there was no loss of YFP‐RGC bodies. In combined data from all timepoints, the RGC soma area was larger than control (P = 0.04, generalized estimating equation model). At 3 weeks, glaucoma RGCs had significantly larger values for dendritic structure and complexity than controls (P = 0.044), but no statistical difference was found at 6 weeks. Conclusion Despite the moderate loss of axons, significant changes in YFP‐RGC morphology were not observed after 6 weeks of follow‐up.