Fig. 6.

Protection by caspase-7 knockout against ON crush-induced thinning of retinal layers. a Representative SD-OCT images showing in vivo thickness of retinas of WT and Casp7 ^−/− mice. Images of both ON crush (7 d and 28 d post injury) and uninjured control eyes are shown. GCC = combined thickness of NFL, GCL, and IPL. b Graphic representation of fundus of mouse eye showing approximate locations of retina thickness measurements. c Cross sectional images of mouse retina. Eight horizontal volume scans of retina at 100, 200, 300 and 400 μm through the area dorso-temporal from the ON (superior retina, 4 scans) and the area ventro-temporal from the ON (inferior retina, 4 scans) were used to evaluate GCC layer thickness. For measuring the GCC thickness at the peripheral retina, two calibrated calipers were placed at 400 μm and 500 μm on both sides of the center of each scan/optical slice. The peripheral thickness of the GCC was determined by averaging the 32 measurements. Similarly, to measure the GCC thickness of the central region of the retina, two calibrated calipers were placed at 100 μm and 200 μm at both sides of the center of each optical slice at 200 and 300 μm superior or inferior of the ON head. The central thickness of the GCC was determined by averaging the 16 measurements. Quantitation of GCC thickness in both the peripheral (d) and central (e) retinas of WT and Casp7 ^−/− uninjured and ON injured eyes. The values were represented as mean ± SD (n = 6). *: p < 0.05 versus the respective uninjured control group, #: p < 0.05 versus the “WT (ON crush)” group by One-Way ANOVA then Tukey–Kramer post hoc test