Fluorescence-labeled lectins, glycoconjugates, and the development of the mouse AOP.

The development of the aqueous outflow pathway (AOP) in early postnatal mouse eyes was examined for the presence of a variety of lectin receptors using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated lectins, 1 micron araldite plastic sections, and computer-aided fluorescence photography. The trabecular meshwork anlage (days 1-4) was characterized by the presence of loosely arranged cells and an extracellular matrix that exhibited intense areas of Con A- and RCA-lectin staining, and absence of WGA- and LPA-lectin staining. By day 6, trabecular meshwork LPA- and WGA-positive materials were observed as focal areas of staining. By day 10, LPA- and WGA-positive materials were present as diffuse areas of staining, as the AOP differentiated into an organized and functional biological filter. The age-dependent pattern of LPA- and WGA-positive materials indicated that there were time-dependent points in the synthesis of glycoconjugates in the developing AOP. The results suggest: The composition and/or conformation of the glycoconjugates on cells and extracellular matrix changed as the AOP differentiated into a functional tissue. The use of FITC lectins as biological markers for studies of the AOP provided information on the potential role of glycoconjugates in the development of the normal AOP. Modification in the type, amount, and distribution of glycoconjugates may provide a basis for understanding the cellular mechanisms of abnormal development of the AOP, eg, congenital glaucoma.