Glaucoma is a leading cause of incurable blindness. The most common form of glaucoma is primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and is associated with pathological alterations of aqueous outflow facilities which lead to increased resistance and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Trabecular meshwork (TM) cells residing within the iridocorneal angle are considered key regulators of aqueous humor outflow; their malfunction is considered one of major factors in the pathogenesis of POAG. Glaucoma not only affects humans, but also other species such as dogs. Dogs are more accessible than other species to study the disease. Canine and human POAG share many features such as plaque formation within the TM with resulting slow progressive elevated IOP, and cupping of the optic nerve head. Because of the similarities between human and canine disease, we posit that the study of canine TM cells will be beneficial for the understanding of disease mechanisms in both dog and human. The purpose of this study was to establish primary canine TM cell cultures. Canine TM explants were carefully isolated and transferred to the cell culture dish. TM cells were identified by their expression of collagen type IV, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and laminin, but not desmin and keratin. Another key feature of TM cells is their phagocytosis activity. Finally, the cultured TM cells form typical cross-linked actin networks (CLANs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of primary canine TM (CTM) cultures.
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