Figure 5. Populations of retinal ganglion
cells labeled with 10% hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate at 8, 17,
35, and 63 days after lasering. Histograms represent the mean (±SD)
total numbers of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) labeled with 10%
hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate (OHSt) in the left eye (LE) and
right eye (RE) for groups I, II, III, and IV, analyzed 8, 17, 35 or 63
days, respectively, after laser treatment of the LE. To identify RGCs
capable of retrograde axonal transport, OHSt was applied to both
superior colliculi 1 week before sacrifice. Retinas were imaged with
adjacent, nonoverlapping frames captured in a raster pattern.
OHSt-labeled RGCs were counted in each frame using image analysis
software. The average total numbers of OHSt-labeled RGCs in the LE were
approximately one fourth of the total numbers of OHSt-labeled RGCs
found in their untreated fellow retinas (RE) at all time points
studied. The mean total numbers of OHSt-labeled RGCs in the RE for all
four groups were comparable (*Kruskal–Wallis test; p=0.1391).
Similarly, the mean total numbers of OHSt-labeled RGCs in the lasered
retinas (LE) for these groups were also comparable (**Kruskal–Wallis
test; p=0.2991). This suggests that the loss of retrograde axonal
transport does not change beyond 8 days.