Figure 1 of Achari, Mol Vis 2008; 14:443-455.


Figure 1. Expression of estrogen receptors in corneal tissues following ovariohysterectomy. A. Influence of OVX on ER mRNA levels in corneal tissues of skeletally mature animals: A cohort of skeletally mature 54 week old female rabbits were either left unoperated (controls) or were subject to ovariohysterectomy. After 8 weeks, cornea was collected from these animals and separated into central and peripheral corneal tissue using a 6 mm biopsy punch. mRNA levels of ER were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are plotted as a percentage of ER mRNA levels in normal control animals. Significant changes compared with normal controls are indicated (p<=0.05; p=not significant [NS]) B. ER levels in corneal tissues during maturation: Corneal tissues were collected from rabbits at 6, 22, and 32 weeks of age and separated into central and peripheral corneal tissues using a 6 mm biopsy punch. Levels of ER mRNA were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are plotted as a percentage of ER mRNA levels in 6 week old animals. Significant changes in ER levels compared with 6 week old animals are indicated (p<=0.05, p=not significant [NS]) C. Influence of pre-pubertal OVX on ER mRNA levels in corneal tissues: Eight week old rabbits underwent OVX surgery or were left unoperated to act as controls until 22 and 32 weeks of age. As described in the Methods section, corneal tissues were collected from these animals and mRNA levels for ER were determined by RT–PCR in these tissues. Values are plotted as a percentage of ER mRNA levels in normal control animals. Significant changes compared with normal controls are indicated (p<=0.05, p=not significant [NS]). D. mRNA levels for β-Actin remain unaffected by OVX: Central and peripheral corneal tissues were collected from both eyes of control (n=5) and OVX (n=5) skeletally mature 54-week-old female rabbits and were then examined for expression of the house keeping gene β-actin. mRNA levels of β-actin were determined by RT–PCR and then separated on a 2% agarose gel. Lanes 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, and 9–10 represents data collected from the pair of eyes of 5 individual animals. The levels of the house keeping gene β-Actin remained unaffected by OVX.