Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a probe to detail change with age in corneal receptor(s).

This in vitro study used Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a probe to examine the change with age of the host receptor(s) facilitating bacterial adherence to cornea in the immature eye and to pinpoint in time, when the host receptor(s) was no longer able to be recognized by the bacterium. Scanning EM was used to quantitate adherent organisms at the corneal surface of mice of select ages (5-37 postnatal days, P, and 28 months) at 15, 30 and 60 min following bacterial application. Organisms were most numerous at the surface of the 5-P eye at all time periods. In 9-21-P mice, no bacterial binding was observed until 30 min, and bacterial adherence modestly increased at 60 min after bacterial application. In the 37-P and in aged 28-month-old mice, no binding to cornea was observed until 60 min after bacterial application. Statistical analysis of these data revealed significant differences in the mean number of bacteria binding to cornea between age groups.