Fig. 7

Ganglion cell death and microglial activation. a Representative images show that staining for RGC marker Brn3a is decreased in retinae 1 day after a 4-h IOP elevation (right) compared to unpressurized C57Bl/6J mice (Ctrl; left). b A decrease in Brn3a staining was not observed in retinae from P2X7^−/− mice after IOP elevation as compared to unpressurized control eyes. c There was a significant decline in Brn3a-labeled RGCs in retinae exposed to elevated IOP compared to normotensive controls from C57Bl/6J eyes, but not P2X7^−/− mice (*p = 0.0017, paired t-test with line connecting normotensive and elevated IOP from same mouse, n = 5 mice, mean of ~ 24 images per eye). d Retinal whole mount from a C57Bl/6J mouse showing the spatial relationship between RGCs stained with Brn3a (red) and microglia stained with Iba1 (green); images show staining across the central region with the optic nerve head (left), the middle region (center), and peripheral areas (right), of the retina. Relationship between RGC number and microglial activation score for C57Bl/6J (e) and P2X7^−/− mice (f) under normotensive (gray) and elevated IOP (red) conditions. Small symbols from individual images (up to 24 per eye) while larger squares represent mean values per eye (n = 5 per condition). Lines are linear regression fit to image data (C57Bl/6J: F = 37.70, (1,155) p < 0.0001, R² = 0.196; P2X7^−/− F = 8.22, (1,152), p = 0.0047, R² = 0.05)