Figure 5
From: Brimonidine prevents axonal and somatic degeneration of retinal ganglion cell neurons
BMD preserves RGC axon morphology, density and total number following OHT. High-magnification light photomicrographs demonstrating degenerating axon profiles (arrowheads) and gliotic scars (asterisks) in cross-sections of vehicle OHT optic nerves (A and B). Like vehicle control nerve (C), nerves from BMD OHT rats (D) had significantly fewer degenerating profiles. (E) Axon density and total axon number expressed as the ratio of OHT to control nerve for vehicle and BMD groups; naïve group is the ratio of the right to left nerve (mean ± SD; n = 16 each). Density and axon number decreased in vehicle treated rats so that the ratio for each differed significantly from one (*, p ≤ 0.02). BMD treatment improved both outcome measures compared to vehicle (**, p = 0.011).