Establishment of a Tear Ferning Test Protocol in the Mouse Model

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Animal Models
• Biomarker Analysis

Background:

• The tear ferning (TF) test assesses tear normality by analyzing ferning patterns after desiccation.
• Current TF test protocols are not established for the mouse model, limiting its use in dry eye research.
• Mice are a crucial model for studying ocular surface diseases and potential treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a standardized tear ferning (TF) test protocol for the mouse model.
• To optimize conditions for reliable ferning formation in mouse tear samples.
• To facilitate dry eye research using the mouse model.

Main Methods:

• Tear samples were collected from healthy mice using varying wash solutions and volumes.
• TF tests were conducted under controlled relative humidity, temperature, and drop volumes.
• The influence of osmolarity, pH, and centrifugation on ferning was evaluated for protocol optimization.

Main Results:

• An optimized mouse TF test protocol was established using 2 µL of 0.9% NaCl saline at 46% ± 2% relative humidity.
• Higher osmolarity positively correlated with increased ferning grades (0-1 to 2-3).
• The developed protocol demonstrated reproducibility and storage stability.

Conclusions:

• A reliable tear ferning (TF) test protocol for the mouse model has been successfully established.
• This protocol allows for comparative analyses in various ocular surface disease conditions.
• The mouse TF test protocol bridges basic research and clinical applications in ophthalmology.