Trabecular Meshwork Cells

With the combined purpose of facilitating useful vision over a lifetime, many ocular cells have evolved specialized characteristics not found in other parts of the body. The trabecular meshwork (TM) cell at the iridocorneal angle, which is the key regulator of intraocular pressure, is no exception. TM cells are a group of progenitors that have the ability to become chondrocytes, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. Although the TM cells residing in the conventional outflow tissues have two different morphologies, both have a common embryological origin, the neural crest. Uniquely, these mesenchymal cells exhibit characteristics of four different cell types, supporting the two primary responsibilities of TM.

TM cells play an active role in the outflow of aqueous humor, and this pathway is intraocular pressure-dependent. Therefore, the injury or death of TM cells is related to the pathogenesis of open-angle glaucoma. TM cells further express receptors for neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, and respond to very low concentrations of various vasoactive peptides and growth factors, allowing these cells to regulate the permeability of TM at multiple levels.

The introduction of TM primary cell cultures constituted an important tool for studying the physiology and pharmacology of TM cells. Despite all of the possible drawbacks of these preparations (i.e., receptor up- or down-regulation), they provide an invaluable tool to characterize the pharmacological properties of TM cells. Creative Bioarray has established standard procedures for the isolation of TM cells from several animal species, including humans, and methods for validating their identity. Having a set of standard practices for TM cells will increase the scientific rigor and enable other researchers to replicate and build upon previous findings.