Neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of rat cornea: Changes with age.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To characterize the entire rat corneal nerve architecture, the changes that occur with aging, and its sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic fiber distribution.

Methods

Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 1 day to 2 years old) of both sexes were euthanized, and the whole corneas were immunostained with protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5). The specimens were double-labeled with antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) as sensory nerve markers, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as a parasympathetic nerve marker, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) as markers of sympathetic fibers. Relative nerve density positive for each antibody was assessed by computer-assisted image analysis.

Results

Thick nerve trunks enter t

SUBMITTER: He J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8128159 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature