Ultrasonographic monitoring of fetal eye growth parameters throughout gestation in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is considered an ideal species for developing genetically modified nonhuman primates (NHP) models of human disease, particularly eye disease. They have been proposed as a suitable bridge between rodents and other NHP models due to their similar ophthalmological features to humans. Prenatal ultrasonography is an accurate and reliable diagnostic tool for monitoring fetal development and congenital malformation. We monitored fetal eye growth and development using noninvasive ultrasonography in 40 heads of clinically normal fetuses during pregnancy to establish the criteria for studying congenital eye anomalies in marmosets. The coronal, sagittal, and transverse planes were useful to identify the facial structures for any associated abnormalities. For orbital measurements, biorbital distance (BOD), ocular diameter (OD), interorbital distance (IOD), and total axial length (TAL) were measured in the transverse plane and carefully identified for intraorbital structures. As a result, high correlations were observed between delivery-based gestational age (GA) and biparietal diameter (BPD), BOD, OD, and TAL. The correlation assessments based on BOD provide more reliable results for monitoring eye growth and development in normal marmosets than any other parameters since BOD has the highest correlation coefficient according to both delivery-based GA and BPD among ocular measurements. In conclusion, orbital measurements by prenatal ultrasonography provide reliable indicators of marmoset eye growth, and it could offer early diagnostic criteria to facilitate the development of eye disease models and novel therapies such as genome editing technologies in marmosets.

Prenatal diagnosis of primary congenital glaucoma and histopathological features in a fetal globe with cytochrome p4501B1 mutations.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to report the developmental and histopathological features of ocular tissues from an electively aborted human fetus with mutations in cytochrome p4501B1, and thus predisposed to primary congenital glaucoma in comparison to an age-matched healthy fetal globe. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Both eyes of two 17-week gestational aged fetuses, the first with CYP1B1 mutations and the second as healthy control fetus, were studied. Hematoxylin and eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff, Gomori's trichrome, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining protocols in addition to immunohistochemistry staining using anti-cytochrome p4501B1, anti-fibrillin-1, and anti-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal antibodies, as primary antibodies, were performed to assess the effect of the mutations on tissue development, cytochrome p4501B1 protein expression, extracellular matrix structure, and oxidative stress in the developing fetus eye. Quantitative analyses were performed using ImageJ software. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis and P-values <0.05 were considered as significant. RESULTS: Delayed development in ocular tissues, decreased expression of cytochrome p4501B1 protein, irregular extracellular matrix structure, and increased oxidative stress biomarker were evident in the ocular tissues of the fetus with cytochrome p4501B1 mutations as compared to a normal globe from an age-matched fetus. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of prenatal diagnosis of primary congenital glaucoma. We also describe histopathological changes in the primary congenital glaucoma-affected globes revealing the effect of cytochrome p4501B1 deficiency on ocular tissues during early fetal development contributing to the glaucoma phenotype.

Human fetal eyeball layers’ structure, differentiation and vascularization / Шинэ санаа Шинэ нээлт

Studying formation and development of fetal organ system, it has reliable information in medical theory as well as practical importance for the medical diagnosis, treatment and prevention in certain country. Introducing the modern advanced methods of fetal study in our country, it willbe possible to get the necessary information of prenatal organ development, formation and differentiation. Currently, the research works of eyeball development, topography, structures have not been accomplished yet in the Mongolian human fetuses. Therefore, the aim of thiswork was to make an evaluation of the development of the human eye during the fetal life. In our study, the 66 eyeballs of 33 human fetuses were examined.It was observed that the axial length, corneal diameter and equatorial diameter of the eye were increased simultaneously in the early fetal period. In the late period the axial length was increased slightly and equatorial diameter was increased rapidly. In the histological observation, the thickness of the eyeball layers were increased regularly from the early fetal period until the late fetal period. Thickness of the choroid and retina were increasing irregularly. Anti VEGFantibody was high distinguished detected in the choroid and retina in the early fetal period but it was middle distinguished detected in the late fetal period by immunohistochemistry.