Staining of fluorogold-prelabeled retinal ganglion cells with calcein-AM: A new method for assessing cell vitality

▶ Staining of FG-prelabeled RGC with CAM permits the discrimination between dead and viable RGC in retinal whole mounts. ▶ RGC loss induced by ONC is identified earlier when these cells are detected by FG + CAM rather than by FG-labeling alone. ▶ The decay rate of FG-prelabeled RGC appears accelerated and becomes more linear when only viable RGC positive for CAM are counted.