Table 4.

Sutural Branching in Transgenic Mice Compared with Age-Matched Nontransgenic Control Mice

			Grade of Sutural Branching Defect
Transgenic Line	Genotype	Lenses (n)	Grade 0	Grade I	Grade II	Grade III
Line 8168 (R116C)	Tg*	54	9 (17)	25 (46)	19 (35)	1 (2)
	Control	50	20 (40)	25 (50)	5 (10)	0 (0)
Line 8165 (R116C)	Tg*	74	19 (25)	28 (38)	22 (30)	5 (7)
	Control	46	24 (52)	12 (26)	10 (22)	0 (0)
Line 8170 (R116C)	Tg*	72	18 (25)	26 (36)	21 (29)	7 (10)
	Control	62	32 (52)	26 (42)	4 (6)	0 (0)
Line 10694 (wild type)	Tg	62	34 (55)	23 (37)	5 (8)	0 (0)
	Control	70	29 (41)	34 (49)	6 (9)	1 (1)

Lenses were examined ex vivo by stereomicroscopy under bright-field illumination. Sutural branching defects were graded according to the number of branch lines extending from the normal inverted Y posterior suture. Grades were 0, no branch lines; I, 1 branch line; II, 2 branch lines; III, > 2 branch lines. Tg, transgenic animals; controls were age-matched nontransgenic littermates. Scores were not significantly different among lenses examined at the ages of 9 to 11 weeks, 20 to 22 weeks, and 28 to 30 weeks. Therefore, data from all age groups were pooled. Data are number of lenses, with percentage of total group in parentheses. For the purpose of statistical analyses, grade II and III are combined. Test results for interaction between level of gene expression and severity of suture branching (transgenic group only) were significant (P = 0.03).

^*Distribution of severity of lens defect differs between transgenic and control mice (P < 0.05).