Figure 5. Blockade of glutamate receptor activation blocks apoptotic cell death and induces increase of Bcl-2 expression in ischemic rat retina. A: There were no TUNEL-positive cells in the normal retina. B: In ischemic retina of rats receiving vehicle, apoptotic cell death was present in the ONL, INL,and GCL. C: MK801 treatment before ischemia blocked apoptotic cell death in all layers. D: Bcl-2 mRNA significantly decreased at 6 h but increased at 24 h, compared to normal retinas. E: Bcl-2 mRNA following ischemia was significantly increase at 12 h by pretreatment with MK801, compared to the vehicle-pretreated retinas. F: Bax mRNA was significantly increased from 6 to 12 h, compared to normal retina. G: No Bax expression following ischemia was shown at 12 h by pretreatment with MK801, compared to the vehicle-pretreated retinas. Error bars represent the standard deviation (*p<0.05 by Student’s t-test, n=3). Abbreviations: ONL represents outer nuclear layer; OPL represents outer plexiform layer; INL represents inner nuclear layer; IPL represents inner plexiform layer; GCL represents ganglion cell layer. The scale bar represents 20 μm (A-C).