Figure 2

Optic nerve axons in AAV2 viral vector injected rat eyes. A. High-power view of representative optic nerve axon cross sections of rats 5 weeks following injection of PBS, or one of the viral vectors (GFP, OPTN-GFP or OPTN, E50K-GFP or E50K). PBS injection was used as negative control. Magnification, x100. Scale bar, 20 μm. The axons in PBS- and GFP vector-injected eyes showed normal morphology while densely stained degenerating axons as well as axonal swellings were seen in wild-type OPTN- and E50K-GFP-vector injected eyes. B. Total axon counts. The value (mean ± SEM) in wild-type OPTN-GFP injected eyes was significantly (P < 0.0042, asterisks, n =15) lower than that in PBS and GFP injected control eyes. A greater decrease of total axon count was found in E50K-GFP injected eyes.