In addition, we also observed BM thickening, atrophy, and vacuolization of RPE in 21-month-old 3xTg/Veh-mice and ~18- to 24-month-old rats, which is consistent with previous studies in 17-month-old Cxcr5−/− mice and a 27-month-old neprilysin-deficient mouse model of AMD (Yoshida et al., 2005; Huang et al., 2017). This evidence concerns the gene CXCR5 and age-related macular degeneration.