Fig. 3

Changes by EM in young and aged AAT^–/– mice. (a) Electron microscopy (EM) images of 18 M old mice showing BrM thickening and changes in RPE basal infoldings in littermate control (AAT^+/+; left column) and AAT^–/– mice (right column). Size of BrM is indicated by blue double arrows. Basal infoldings of the RPE are marked by black line. They are significantly disorganized in the AAT^–/– mice. The elastin layer is marked by a yellow asterisk. (b) Higher magnifications of same genotypes and ages as shown in (a) showing the basement membrane of the choriocapillaris (yellow double arrow) and of the RPE (red double arrows). Lipid droplets are also seen particularly in wild-type littermate control mice (red asterisk). (c) EM images of young 3 M old mice showing early BrM changes including a thicker BrM (blue double arrow). Basal infoldings are less organized in AAT^–/– mice (black line). Chrd, choroid; RPE, retinal-pigmented epithelium; blue double arrows: thickness of BrM; yellow arrows or double arrows: basement membrane of the choriocapillaris; red arrows or double arrows: basement membrane of the RPE; yellow asterisk: elastin layer; red asterisk: lipid droplets; black lines: basal infoldings of RPE cells).