BILATERAL RETINAL RESPONSES DURING THE ACUTE-PHASE (4-14-DAYS) AFTER TRAUMATIZATION OF A SINGLE EYE IN THE MOUSE

The infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages was examined in the retinae of traumatized and non-traumatized contra-lateral eyes of mice . Traumatization was produced by channeling a small hole in the limbic region of a single eye in each animal while it was under Nembutal ane sthesia and a small piece of iron wire was inserted into the eye. Afte r the T lymphocytes and macrophages were made apparent by immune-histo chemistry, they were counted on sectioned strips of the peripheral ret inae 250 micrometer in length in both traumatized and non-traumatized eyes. During the first two weeks after the induced disturbance, both t he retinae of the traumatized and non-traumatized eyes showed infiltra tion of T lymphocytes and macrophages. Although this increase in T lym phocyte infiltration was observed in both damaged eye and the undamage d one, the former displayed an enhanced increase. The contrary was not iced for macrophages infiltrating the undamaged eye. A bilateral respo nse was therefore evident through the cellular infiltration in the tra umatized and un-traumatized eyes. Morphometrical observations also rev ealed nuclear size changes in the retina during this acute phase of tr aumatization.