Pressure Effect on Hydraulic Conductivity of TM Cells

The mechanism of laser trabeculoplasty (LT) on aqueous outflow resistance is not well understood. Whether trabecular meshwork (TM) cell and tissue destruction is necessary for the therapeutic effect of LT is unclear. Dr. Roberts is a bioengineer who proposes to test the effect of LT in the treatment of glaucoma with the long-range goal of determining the influence of driving pressure on the effectiveness of laser irradiation upon a monolayer of trabecular meshwork endothelial cells. Dr. Roberts has experience in growing TM endothelial cell cultures in specialized in vitro cell systems where cells are grown on filter supports, placed in specialized perfusion testing chambers and treated with laser irradiation. The flow-irradiation studies will be repeated at various pressure levels to simulate normal tension glaucoma and higher pressures to simulate glaucomatous levels. The goal of these studies is to produce useful new data on the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of laser treatments for glaucoma.