Figure 6. Microstructural and macromolecular changes in the fresh sclera and cornea tissues after glycosaminoglycan depletion by chondroitinase-ABC with T2-weighted MRI (T2WI), diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) and magnetization transfer MRI (MTI).

(a) Representative T2WI (top), mean diffusivity (MD) maps (middle) and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) maps (bottom) of glycosaminoglycan removal in cornea (left panel) and sclera (right panel) after treating with 2 units/ml (U/ml) of chondroitinase-ABC solution or sham solution (0 U/ml). Tissue strips were oriented and measured about the magic angle at ~55° to main magnetic field (B_o); (b–g) Quantitative comparisons (mean ± standard deviation) of (b) T2-weighted signal intensity (SI), (c) MTR, (d) fractional anisotropy (FA), (e) axial diffusivity (λ_//), (f) radial diffusivity (λ_⊥) and (g) mean diffusivity (MD) in cornea and sclera strips after treatment with chondroitinase-ABC solutions at concentrations of 0, 0.06, 0.5 and 2 U/ml. (Tukey’s multiple comparisons tests: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001).