Figure 1.

Experimental design to examine BDNF neuroprotection of RGCs and vision following chronic ocular hypertension. (A) Schematic time line of experiments. (B) Generation of double transgenic line overexpressing BDNF in a spatially and temporally controlled manner. Thy-1-CreERT(T²) transgenic mice (labeled Cre) were crossed with BDNF^stop mice (labeled BS). One or two intraperitoneal injections of tamoxifen (tam) activated Cre recombinase, which turned on the transcription of BDNF in Thy-1-CreER^T2::BDNF^stop mice (labeled BDNF_OE). (C) Western blot analysis showed the steady increase of retinal BDNF levels following the tamoxifen injections. Sample numbers are labeled. ***P < 0.001 in Student's t-test.