ACID-PHOSPHATASE LOCALIZATION IN ACCUMULATED MEMBRANOUS ORGANELLES OFOPTIC-NERVE AXONS FOLLOWING ACUTE ELEVATION OF INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE

Acid phosphatase localization in accumulated membranous organelles of optic nerve axone of guinea pigs following acute elevation of intraocu lar pressure (IOP) was determined, employing light and electron micros copic enzymic cytochemistry with beta-glycerophosphate as a substrate. Positive reaction products appeared to accumulate in the region of th e lamina cribrosa, as revealed with light microscopic enzyme cytochemi stry. Electron microscopic enzyme cytochemistry also demonstrated that such reaction products mainly localized on multivesicular or multilam ellar bodies and myelin-like structures in the unmyelinated optic nerv e axons. Following an acutely elevated IOP, retrograde-moving membrano us organelles in the optic nerve axons were found to contain AcPase, s uggesting that these organelles could be degraded in the axons through the lysosomal pathway. Jpn J Ophthalmol 1998;42:373-376 (C) 1998 Japa nese Ophthalmological Society.