Ocular surface parameters in the DED and non-DED groups.

<p>Ocular surface parameters in the DED and non-DED groups.</p

Ocular surface symptoms in the study and control groups.

<p>Ocular surface symptoms in the study and control groups.</p

Ocular surface symptoms in the DED and non-DED groups.

<p>Ocular surface symptoms in the DED and non-DED groups.</p

Spearman’s correlation coefficient (<i>P</i>-value) for the correlation between filtering bleb morphology and ocular surface parameters.

<p>Spearman’s correlation coefficient (<i>P</i>-value) for the correlation between filtering bleb morphology and ocular surface parameters.</p

Parameters and scoring of the WBCS^*.

<p>Parameters and scoring of the WBCS^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0152696#t001fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}.</p

Ocular surface signs in the study and control groups.

<p>Ocular surface signs in the study and control groups.</p

Filtering bleb morphology in the DED and non-DED groups.

<p>Filtering bleb morphology in the DED and non-DED groups.</p

The demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample groups.

<p>The demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample groups.</p

Comprehensive Analysis of Inflammatory Immune Mediators of the Intraocular Fluid Aspirated from the Foldable Capsular Vitreous Body Filled-Eyes

<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>To analyze the level of human inflammatory immune mediators in the intraocular fluid aspirated from foldable capsular vitreous body (FCVB) filled-eyes during FCVB removal surgery, 3 months after implantation.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>8 samples of intra-FCVB fluids (n = 8) were collected from 8 FCVB filled patients in our previous FCVB exploratory clinical trial. The intra-FCVB fluids were aspirated from the FCVB filled-eyes during the FCVB removal surgeries at the third month. For the control groups, the vitreous fluids were collected from patients with idiopathic macular hole (n = 9) or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (n = 6) during pars plana vitrectomy. A multiplex immunoassay was used to determine levels of 9 cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, IFN-γ and VEGF) in these samples. The VEGF level of some intra-FCVB fluids (n = 6) were re-tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>In the intra-FCVB fluids, 9 cytokines concentrations of most samples (n = 5) measured by Multiplex immunoassay showed low values, except for Patient 02, 06, and 09. The VEGF concentrations of some intra-FCVB fluids (n = 6) tested by ELISA were in accordance with Multiplex immunoassay results. For all eight patients (n = 8), the concentrations of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and VEGF were slightly higher as compared to the idiopathic macular hole control group. While, the concentrations of IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17 were not statistically significant different compared with the idiopathic macular hole control samples. Most cytokines concentrations (IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, IFN-γ, VEGF) were not statistically significant different compared to the rhegmatogenous retinal detachment control group except IL-1β.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The FCVB had sufficient porosity to allow cytokines to pass through. This study first discovered that the FCVB possesses favorable permeability of proteins in the human eye.</p> </div

Differentiation of Retinal Ganglion Cells and Photoreceptor Precursors from Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Carrying an Atoh7/Math5 Lineage Reporter

<div><p>The neural retina is a critical component of the visual system, which provides the majority of sensory input in humans. Various retinal degenerative diseases can result in the permanent loss of retinal neurons, especially the light-sensing photoreceptors and the centrally projecting retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The replenishment of lost RGCs and the repair of optic nerve damage are particularly challenging, as both RGC specification and their subsequent axonal growth and projection involve complex and precise regulation. To explore the developmental potential of pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors, we have established mouse iPS cells that allow cell lineage tracing of progenitors that have expressed Atoh7/Math5, a bHLH transcription factor required for RGC production. These Atoh7 lineage reporter iPS cells encode Cre to replace one copy of the endogenous Atoh7 gene and a Cre-dependent YFP reporter in the ROSA locus. In addition, they express pluripotent markers and are capable of generating teratomas in vivo. Under anterior neural induction and neurogenic conditions in vitro, the Atoh7-Cre/ROSA-YFP iPS cells differentiate into neurons that co-express various RGC markers and YFP, indicating that these neurons are derived from Atoh7-expressing progenitors. Consistent with previous in vivo cell lineage studies, the Atoh7-Cre/ROSA-YFP iPS cells also give rise to a subset of Crx-positive photoreceptor precursors. Furthermore, inhibition of Notch signaling in the iPSC cultures results in a significant increase of YFP-positive RGCs and photoreceptor precursors. Together, these results show that Atoh7-Cre/ROSA-YFP iPS cells can be used to monitor the development and survival of RGCs and photoreceptors from pluripotent stem cells.</p></div