Cochlin deposits in the trabecular meshwork of the glaucomatous DBA/2J mouse.

Cochlin deposits were observed in the trabecular meshwork (TM) of 8-month-old glaucomatous DBA/2J mice, coincident with the reported onset of increased intraocular pressure and optic nerve damage. An age-dependent increase in cochlin was observed up to 10 months of age and was paralleled by a decrease in type II collagen. Similar expression patterns exist in the TM of humans with primary open-angle glaucoma. Cochlin deposits, absent in non-glaucomatous mouse and human TM, may disrupt the TM extracellular matrix and obstruct aqueous humor circulation. Studies of DBA/2J mice offer promise for understanding the role cochlin may play in glaucoma.