Histopathological changes in the trabecular meshwork in primary congenital glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the morphological changes in the ex-vivo trabecular meshwork TM specimens from patients with primary congenital glaucoma.

METHODS

Five trabecular meshwork (TM) specimens obtained after microincisional trabeculectomy from 4 patients with primary congenital glaucoma (mean age) were analyzed using hematological and eosin staining.

RESULTS

The trabecular meshwork in PCG showed an expansion of the juxtacanalicular and corneoscleral meshwork regions with increased cellularity, thickened TM beams, prominent spindle-shaped nuclei suggesting epithelial mesenchymal transformation predominantly and two morphologically distinct zones of the juxtacanalicular region.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased cellularity, zonal expansion and mesenchymal changes in specific TM regions suggest aberrant differentiation and differential dysgenesis of different TM regions in PCG.