ABSTRACT
GON is characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells and their axons combined with a specific tissue remodeling. Both mechanical stress and repeated ischemia lead to activation of astrocytes. A reperfusion injury leads furthermore to an increased production of superoxide anions in the mitochondria of the axons and to an upregulation of MMPs.This cell stress can also be observed in the lymphocytes, which in glaucoma patients change their gene expression pattern. The examination of lymphocytes gives insight into the pathogenesis and might be helpful for diagnostic purposes.
