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An Optic Nerve Crush Injury Murine Model to Study Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival
Published on: April 25, 2011
A practical approach to optic nerve crush in the mouse.
Justin P Templeton1, Eldon E Geisert
1Department of Ophthalmology, Hamilton Eye Institute, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. Jtemplet@uthsc.edu
Molecular Vision
|August 10, 2012
Summary
This study details the optic nerve crush (ONC) surgical procedure in mice. ONC consistently causes ganglion cell loss and alters retinal blood flow, providing a model for studying optic neuropathies.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Surgical Techniques
Background:
- The optic nerve crush (ONC) is a common experimental model.
- Understanding the ONC procedure is crucial for reproducible research.
- Previous methods may lack detailed instructional guidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive instructional resource for performing ONC in mice.
- To detail the surgical steps from anesthesia to post-operative care.
- To present a reproducible method for inducing optic nerve injury.
Main Methods:
- Detailed description of anesthesia and mouse positioning.
- Surgical technique for optic nerve crush.
- Optical coherence tomography Doppler for retinal blood flow analysis.
- Retinal whole-mount staining with TO-PRO-3 for cell loss assessment.
Main Results:
- The ONC procedure results in consistent ganglion cell layer cell loss.
- ONC affects retinal blood flow, measurable by OCT Doppler.
- The described surgical approach is effective and reproducible.
Conclusions:
- The provided instructional guide facilitates the ONC procedure.
- ONC serves as a valuable model for studying optic nerve damage and related conditions.
- This resource aids researchers in implementing ONC for experimental purposes.
