Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Elevated dark-adapted thresholds in albino rodents.

G W Balkema1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|April 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Albino mice and rats show poorer night vision due to elevated dark-adapted thresholds. Reduced ocular melanin, not photoreceptor damage, likely causes this vision impairment in hypopigmented animals.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Elevated free calcium levels in the subretinal space elevate the absolute dark-adapted threshold in hypopigmented mice.

Journal of neurophysiology·2003
Same author

Diurnal variation in synaptic ribbon length and visual threshold.

Visual neuroscience·2002
Same author

Disruption of laminin beta2 chain production causes alterations in morphology and function in the CNS.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·1999
Same author

Antigenic epitopes of the photoreceptor synaptic ribbon.

The Journal of comparative neurology·1999
Same author

Increased absolute light sensitivity in Himalayan mice with cold-induced ocular pigmentation.

Visual neuroscience·1998
Same author

Ultrastructural localization of a synaptic ribbon protein recognized by antibody B16.

Journal of neurocytology·1996

Area of Science:

  • Vision science
  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Albino animals exhibit higher dark-adapted thresholds than pigmented counterparts.
  • Previous research suggests potential links between pigmentation and visual function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of elevated dark-adapted thresholds in albino mice and rats.
  • To determine if reduced ocular melanin impacts visual sensitivity.

Main Methods:

  • Single-unit recordings from the superior colliculus in mice.
  • Comparative analysis of dark-adapted incremental thresholds in albino and pigmented rodents.
  • Light and electron microscopy of photoreceptor cells and retinal pigment epithelium.

Main Results:

  • Albino mice showed 1.5 log units higher thresholds than black mice.
  • Albino rats exhibited 2 log units higher thresholds than pigmented rats.
  • No significant differences in photoreceptor cell counts or outer segment integrity were observed.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated dark-adapted thresholds in albino rodents are not due to photoreceptor damage.
  • Reduced ocular melanin, particularly in the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid, is a likely cause of impaired night vision.

Related Experiment Videos