Freeze-fracture examination of cultured human trabecular meshwork cells: Effect of dexamethasone

Model systems for the study of steroid-induced IOP elevation

“…Most notably work on HTM cultures identified the protein encoded by the first glaucoma gene: TIGR/myocilin (Polansky et al, 1997; Stone et al, 1997). Other relevant important findings that come from work on TM cultures treated with steroids include the increased stiffness in trabecular meshwork (McKee et al, 2011), the activation and proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus and increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition (Wilson et al, 1993), the increase in fusion vesicles on TM cell membranes (McCartney et al, 2006), the increase in HTM cell size (Tripathi et al, 1989), the changes in TM cell cytoskeleton (Wilson et al, 1993) and the decreases in phagocytotic activity (Yang and Li, 1996; Zhang et al, 2007), as well as cell migration and proliferation (Clark et al, 1994). …”

Glucocorticoids with different chemical structures but similar glucocorticoid receptor potency regulate subsets of common and unique genes in human trabecular meshwork cells

“…The elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is due to increased aqueous humor outflow resistance and is associated with morphological and biochemical changes in the trabecular meshwork (TM) [ 2 ]. These changes are associated with increased deposition of extracellular matrix material in the outflow pathway [ 3 ], which may be due, in part, to an inhibition of TM phagocytosis [ 4 ], decreased extracellular activity of stromelysin and tissue plasminogen activator [ 5 ], alteration of the actin cytoskeleton [ 6 ] and formation of intercellular junctions [ 7 ]. Most of the effects of GCs on TM cells and tissues are likely due to GC-mediated TM cell gene expression, including the induction of myocilin, serum amyloid A1, α A-crystallin, insulin growth factor binding protein 2, growth arrest-specific 1 and other genes [ 8 - 13 ].…”

Isolation, characterization and differentiation of trabecular meshwork stem cells for the study and treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma

“…This technique was abandoned since the spheres could not be expanded and cultured long-term. Monolayer culture with human TM cell culture media used by Gonzalez et al, [116], Junglas et al, [152], and McCartney et al, 2005 [153] were studied. The latter two media were unable to support sufficient cell growth.…”