The investigator proposes to continue investigations into the anatomic and biochemical factors that control outflow facility in the normal and glaucomatous eye. Three hypotheses are proposed for investigation. (1) That the basement membrane of the inner wall of Schlemm s canal is the site of outflow resistance (2) That segmental aqueous flow occurs within the trabecular meshwork, and subsequent non-homogenous flow throughout the JCT and into Schlemm s canal (with only a portion of the inner wall of the canal actively functioning in draining aqueous at any given time) and (3) Giant vacuoles occur in regions of active aqueous flow. The investigator intends testing these hypothesis by morphometric analysis, immunohistochemistry (electron microscopy and degenerative enzymatic analysis of the extracellular matrix). Giant vacuoles will be observed and their relationship to collector channels quantified by confocal microscopy and 3D reconstruction. The investigator proposes to see whether giant vacuoles form preferentially in areas with little underlying extracellular matrix (by morphometric analysis of EMs) and also attempt to determine the lifespan of giant vacuoles to see if they represent snapshot of aqueous outflow, or instead, a cumulative timed exposure.
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