Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Retinal Pathophysiological Evaluation in a Rat Model
Published on: May 6, 2022
Non-invasive measurement of retinal permeability in a diabetic rat model
Claire L Allen1, Naseeb K Malhi1, Jacqueline L Whatmore2
1Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, UK.
Objective:
The gold standard for measuring blood-retinal barrier permeability is the Evans blue assay. However, this technique has limitations in vivo, including non-specific tissue binding and toxicity. This study describes a non-toxic, high-throughput, and cost-effective alternative technique that minimizes animal usage.
Methods:
Sodium fluorescein fundus angiography was performed in non-diabetic and diabetic Brown Norway rats on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Sodium fluorescein intensity in the retinal interstitium and a main retinal vessel were measured over time. The intensity gradients were used to quantify retinal vascular permeability. Post-study eyes were fixed, dissected, and stained (isolectin B4) to measure required parameters for permeability quantification including total vessel length per retinal volume, radius, and thickness.
Results:
In the non-diabetic cohort retinal permeability remained constant over the 28-day study period. However, in the diabetic cohort there was a significant and progressive increase in retinal permeability from days 14-28 (P < .01, P < .001, P < .0001).
Conclusions:
This novel imaging methodology in combination with mathematical quantification allows retinal permeability to be non-invasively and accurately measured at multiple time points in the same animal. In addition, this technique is a non-toxic, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective alternative to the Evans blue assay.
