Purpose: To characterize the distribution of pigment particles in aqueous drainage structures of DBA/2J mice with different intraocular pressure (IOP) levels.
Methods: DBA/2J mice were monitored from 9 to 44 weeks of age. IOP measurements were performed periodically. At 12, 20, 28, and 36 weeks, three mice were randomly selected for each time point and divided into three IOP groups. The morphology, size, and quantity of pigment particles in aqueous drainage structures were determined via transmission electron microscopy combined with ImageJ-based analysis. Between-group differences were evaluated with a one-way analysis of variance and Fisher's least significant difference test.
Results: In the anterior chamber, 74.2% (187/252) of pigment particles were round (diameter range, 0.20-0.73 µm), and 25.8% (65/252) were oval (length range, 0.35-1.20 µm ). In the high-IOP group (IOP≥15 mmHg), pigment particles in the trabecular meshwork (TM) were more abundant and larger in size than those in the normal-IOP group (P<0.001). All separate pigment particles in the TM of the high-IOP group were >0.4 µm in size. The diameters of round (IOP≤10 mmHg, 0.44±0.13 µm; IOP between 10 and 15 mmHg, 0.57±0.13 µm; IOP≥15 mmHg, 0.61±0.12 µm) and the lengths of oval (0.65±0.14 µm vs. 0.77±0.12 µm vs. 0.88±0.15 µm, respectively) pigment particles in the TM differed among groups (F=27.258 and F=27.295, respectively; both P<0.001). No such differences were discovered in the iris and around Schlemm's canal (P>0.05).
Conclusions: In DBA/2J mice, large and medium pigment particles (>0.4 µm) seem to play an important role in causing aqueous outflow obstruction and IOP elevation.