Retinal and cortical visual acuity in a common inbred albino mouse

While albino mice are widely used in research which includes the use of visually guided behavioral tests, information on their visual capability is scarce. We compared the spatial resolution (acuity) of albino mice (BALB/c) with that of pigmented mice (C57BL/6J). We used a high-throughput pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP) method for objective assessment of retinal and cortical acuity, as well as optomotor head-tracking response/ reflex (OMR). We found that PERG, PVEP, and OMR acuities of C57BL/6J mice were all in the range of 0.5-0.6 cycles/degree (cyc/deg). BALB/c mice had PERG and PVEP acuities in the range of 0.1-0.2 cyc/deg but were unresponsive to OMR stimulus. Results indicate that retinal and cortical acuity can be reliably determined with electrophysiological methods in BALB/c mice, although PERG/PVEP acuities are lower than those of C57BL/6J mice. The reduced acuity of BALB/c mice appears to be primarily determined at retinal level.