Quantification of the Connexin Heterogeneity in Gap Junction Plaques During Aging in the Rat Retina.

Changes in the number and type of connexins in gap junction plaques in astrocytes predominantly in the parenchyma (A, C &E) and predominantly associated with the vasculature (B, D & F) in the retina as a function of age. In all graphs, each value represents the mean ± SEM of data from four retinas from different rats (n = 4). The mean number was also determined by counts in eight different fields of view in the central, midperipheral and peripheral regions of each retina at each age (a total of 24 fields of view per retina) and normalized to the total area for either the parenchyma or vasculature. In each graph, x-axis represents age in months, and y-axis represents number per retina (A–F). One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post-hoc multiple comparison tests were applied. * denotes a statistical significance of P<0.05 for comparisons of each connexin to itself with age. The horizontal line indicates all these Cx heterogeneous GJs at the particular age time point were significantly different compared to 3 months of age.