Figure 2. Changes in ZENK RNA transcript levels in treated and contralateral control retinas following increased ocular growth induced by the fitting of translucent diffusers or negative lenses. Mean normalized expression of ZENK RNA transcript levels from diffuser-treated (A) or negative-lens-treated (B) eyes following 1 h, 1, 3, 7, and 10 days of treatment. Fitting of translucent diffusers or negative lenses significantly affected ZENK RNA transcript levels in the experimental eye over time, as compared to both contralateral control values (MANOVA; F (2,86)=33.9, p<0.01 and F (2,86)=32.9, p<0.001, respectively) and age-matched untreated control values (MANOVA; F (2,86)=37.9, p<0.001 and F (2,86)=18.5, p<0.01, respectively). ZENK transcript levels in the contralateral control eyes from either form-deprived or negative-lens-treated animals were unaffected by treatment as compared to age-matched untreated values (MANOVA; F (2,86)=2.65, p=0.14 and F (2,86)=0.69, p=0.43, respectively). The mean normalized expression is calculated from the efficiency (E) of the target genes to the power of its average CT value (E^CT, target), divided by the efficiency (E) of the reference gene (β-actin) to the power of its average CT value (E^CT, reference). Error bars represent SEM, n=9. (* p<0.05, ** p<0.01).