Abstract
Purpose:
To understand the distribution traits of neutrophils in normal cornea in the widely used mice in laboratory, include C57BL/6J, BALB/c and nude mice strains.
Methods:
Three-month-old male C57BL/6J, BALB/c and nude mice with a BALB/c background were selected for this study. All of the animal care and experimental protocols in the study conformed to the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research. The neutrophils and limbal vessels were stained by Anti-Gr-1-FITC and anti-CD31/PECAM-1-PE antibodies separately. The distribution and number of neutrophils were measured and compared between C57BL/6J, BALB/c and nude mice.
Results:
The total number of neutrophils in cornea in BALB/c mice is significantly decreased than that in both C57BL/6 and nude mice (P < 0.01). However, there is no difference in C57BL/6 and nude mice. The limbal neutrophils in C57BL/6 mice are significantly increased than that in BALB/c and nude mice (P < 0.01). And the limbal neutrophils in BALB/c are significantly increased than that in nude mice (P < 0.01). The paracentral and central neutrophils in nude mice are significantly increased than that in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice (P < 0.01). The Pearson correlation analysis of corneal neutrophils and the limbal vessels in each mouse strain showed positively correlated (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrated that the distribution of neutrophils in normal cornea is different in C57BL/6J, BALB/c and nude mice strains. The distribution traits of neutrophil may be playing an important role in anti-cornea infection.
Keywords: 480 cornea: basic science