Publication Date
2026
Abstract
To test the effects of elevated TH during cornea development, our lab has collaborated with Dr. Juan Davila (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) to develop an embryonic mouse model of hyperthyroidism. Embryos were exposed to high levels of TH in utero by adding TH to the pregnant mother’s drinking water. Upon collection of the embryos, elevated blood thyroid levels in the pregnant mother were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and eye tissues were collected and preserved for analysis of corneal nerve innervation patterns. By utilizing immunohistochemistry in order to visualize corneal innervation in mouse embryos, this project studied whether elevated TH acts as a nerve accelerant by influencing the growth rate and branching behavior of nerve axons as they enter the cornea. Our findings look into the growth-enhancing effect of TH on developing corneal nerves and whether this is conserved across avian and mammalian species by assessing for similarity in patterns of nerve growth and nerve branching in corneal innervation.
Disciplines
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Recommended Citation
Malali, Anjali, "The Effects of Hyperthyroidism on Mouse Corneal Innervation: Implications for Human Cornea Re-innervation" (2026). Research Honors. 23.
https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/all_honors/23