Jost B Jonas1, Kyoko Ohno-Matsui2, Leonard Holbach3, Songhomitra Panda-Jonas1. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany. 2. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. 3. Department of Ophthalmology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To assess associations between axial length and density of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells in various ocular regions. METHODS: The histomorphometric investigation included histological sections of enucleated eyes of Caucasian patients. Using a light microscope, we counted the number of RPE cells on Bruch's membrane at the ora serrata, in the pre-equatorial region, the equatorial and retro-equatorial region, at the midpoint equator/posterior pole, and at the posterior pole. RESULTS: The study included 65 globes with a mean axial length 25.9 ± 3.5 mm (range: 21.0-34.0 mm). Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell count in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region (p < 0.001; correlation coefficient r2 : 0.44), in the pre-equatorial region (p < 0.001; r2 : 0.39) and at the midpoint equator/posterior pole (p = 0.03; r2 : 0.12) decreased with increasing axial length. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell count at the ora serrata (p = 0.49) and posterior pole (p = 0.44) was not significantly correlated with axial length. As a corollary, mean RPE cell density was higher (p < 0.001) at the posterior pole than at the midpoint equator/posterior pole or at the ora serrata region, where it was higher than in pre-equatorial region (p < 0.001) and in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in the RPE cell density mainly in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region in association with longer axial length suggests a region of enlargement of Bruch's membrane in the equatorial to retro-equatorial area in association with axial elongation. The finding may be of interest to elucidate the process of emmetropization/myopization.
PURPOSE: To assess associations between axial length and density of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells in various ocular regions. METHODS: The histomorphometric investigation included histological sections of enucleated eyes of Caucasian patients. Using a light microscope, we counted the number of RPE cells on Bruch's membrane at the ora serrata, in the pre-equatorial region, the equatorial and retro-equatorial region, at the midpoint equator/posterior pole, and at the posterior pole. RESULTS: The study included 65 globes with a mean axial length 25.9 ± 3.5 mm (range: 21.0-34.0 mm). Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell count in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region (p < 0.001; correlation coefficient r2 : 0.44), in the pre-equatorial region (p < 0.001; r2 : 0.39) and at the midpoint equator/posterior pole (p = 0.03; r2 : 0.12) decreased with increasing axial length. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell count at the ora serrata (p = 0.49) and posterior pole (p = 0.44) was not significantly correlated with axial length. As a corollary, mean RPE cell density was higher (p < 0.001) at the posterior pole than at the midpoint equator/posterior pole or at the ora serrata region, where it was higher than in pre-equatorial region (p < 0.001) and in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in the RPE cell density mainly in the equatorial to retro-equatorial region in association with longer axial length suggests a region of enlargement of Bruch's membrane in the equatorial to retro-equatorial area in association with axial elongation. The finding may be of interest to elucidate the process of emmetropization/myopization.
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