Figure 9. Ocular hypertension induces aberrant expression of phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain. Fluorescence photomicrographs show representative middle regions of right eye (control; A, B) and left eye (lasered; C, D) mouse retinas, with 10% hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate (OHSt) applied to the superior colliculi for 1 week, that were processed for RT97 immunofluorescence 17 days after laser photocoagulation. Micrographs were taken under ultraviolet and fluorescein filters to examine OHSt or RT97 immunofluorescence, respectively. A, B: In the control (right-eye) retina, OHSt-labeled RGCs show typical distribution (A) and RT97 immunofluorescence is restricted to axonal bundles (B). C, D: In the lasered (left-eye) retina, the distribution of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) retrograde-labeled with OHSt is restricted to the lower part of the picture (C), which under the fluorescein filter (D) shows a lack of RT97 staining within OHSt⁺ RGCs. Abnormal phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain expression, which depicts several intensely RT97-stained RGCs and RT97 beaded axons, is concentrated in the region that lacks OHSt backlabeled RGCs. Scale bars for A-D=50 µm.