Effects of Body Weight on Ocular Fundus Blood Vessels in C57 Mice at Different Developmental and Disease Stages.

Body weight is a potential modulator of vascular homeostasis. However, its effects on the development and pathological progression of fundus blood vessels in C57 mice remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of body weight on fundus vascular development and pathological processes. Wild-type C57 mice were selected, with the three lightest and three heaviest mice from each litter chosen to evaluate retinal vascular development. Choroidal tissues were isolated for culture, and three pathological models (oxygen-induced retinopathy, choroidal neovascularization, and STZ-induced diabetic retinopathy) were established. Body weight significantly affected retinal vascular development and oxygen-induced pathological indices, but had no obvious effect on choroidal neovascularization and diabetic retinopathy. Disease course was the key factor determining the severity of adult fundus lesions. These findings indicate that body weight is crucial for juvenile retinal vascular development, while disease course dominates adult fundus pathological changes, laying a foundation for standardized research on fundus blood vessels.