To induce CNV in C57BL/6J mice, laser-induced ruptures of Bruch’s membrane were performed with an argon laser photocoagulator (blue-green light) mounted on a slit-lamp (Space Coast Laser Inc.; Palm Bay, FL). Four lesions were created in both the left and right eyes of each mouse. Laser parameters used were 100-μm spot size, 0.1-second duration, and 0.1 Watts 24 (link)–27 (link). On day-3 post-laser treatment, mice were divided into two groups and received tail-vein injections of AS-VCAM-1 hAuNP or NS-hAuNP at a concentration of 0.5 mg/kg in PBS. Twenty-four hours after the probe was incorporated, the mice were sacrificed and the eyes were fixed in neutral buffer formalin (NBF) for 30 min. The anterior segments and lenses were removed while submerging the eye in NBF solution. The choroid-Bruch’s membrane-RPE complex was dissected as previously described 28 (link)–29 (link) and transferred into tris-buffered saline (TBS) before immunostaining. Tissues were blocked/permeabilized in 10% donkey serum with 1% Triton X-100 and 0.05% Tween 20 in TBS for 2 hours and were then counter-stained for IB4 conjugated to Alexafluor-488 (Life Technologies; Grand Island, NY). The tissues were then mounted with Prolong Gold mounting medium (Life Technologies; Grand Island, NY). Images were taken using an epifluorescence Nikon Eclipse Ti-E inverted microscope (Melville, NY).