The lamina cribrosa is the initial site of glaucomatous injury. Pathological changes to the lamina cribrosa include posterior displacement of the lamina cribrosa, loss of trophic support, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Optic nerve head (ONH) astrocytes and lamina cribrosa cells synthesize extracellular matrix proteins to support and maintain the lamina cribrosa under physiological conditions. During glaucoma, these cells respond to mechanical strain and other stimuli, which leads to pathological remodeling of the ONH. Although ONH astrocytes and lamina cribrosa cells have been previously cultured, there is no well-accepted, straightforward technique to isolate both cell types from a single dissected human ONH. To better understand the pathophysiology of glaucoma, we obtained and cultured lamina cribrosa explants from human donor eyes. Initially, cells that grew out from the explant were ONH astrocytes and lamina cribrosa cells. Using a specialized medium, we isolated pure populations of lamina cribrosa cells and ONH astrocytes. ONH astrocytes expressed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Lamina cribrosa cells expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), but were negative for GFAP. This method of ONH cell isolation and cell-culture will provide a technique to better understand the molecular and cell-specific changes in glaucomatous damage to the ONH.

筛板是青光眼损伤的初始部位。筛板的病理变化包括筛板向后移位、营养支持的丧失和细胞外基质的重塑。视神经乳头 (ONH) 星形胶质细胞和筛板细胞合成细胞外基质蛋白以在生理条件下支持和维持筛板。在青光眼期间，这些细胞对机械应变和其他刺激做出反应，从而导致 ONH 的病理性重塑。尽管以前已经培养过 ONH 星形胶质细胞和筛板细胞，但没有公认的、直接的技术可以从单个解剖的人类 ONH 中分离这两种细胞类型。为了更好地了解青光眼的病理生理学，我们从人类供体眼中获取并培养了筛板外植体。最初，从外植体长出的细胞是 ONH 星形胶质细胞和筛板细胞。使用专门的培养基，我们分离了筛板细胞和 ONH 星形胶质细胞的纯群体。ONH 星形胶质细胞表达胶质纤维酸性蛋白 (GFAP)。筛板细胞表达 α-平滑肌肌动蛋白 (α-SMA)，但对 GFAP 呈阴性。这种 ONH 细胞分离和细胞培养方法将提供一种技术，以更好地了解 ONH 青光眼损伤的分子和细胞特异性变化。但 GFAP 为阴性。这种 ONH 细胞分离和细胞培养方法将提供一种技术，以更好地了解 ONH 青光眼损伤的分子和细胞特异性变化。但 GFAP 为阴性。这种 ONH 细胞分离和细胞培养方法将提供一种技术，以更好地了解 ONH 青光眼损伤的分子和细胞特异性变化。