Subretinal injection in mice to study retinal physiology and disease

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Research
• Surgical Techniques

Background:

• Subretinal injection (SRI) is a key technique for delivering various substances to the retina in research.
• Current SRI protocols lack standardized criteria for success, potentially impacting experimental reproducibility.
• Optimizing SRI is crucial for accurate insights into retinal physiology and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a standardized protocol for performing subretinal injections in mice.
• To define objective criteria for assessing the success of subretinal injections.
• To improve the reproducibility and reliability of retinal research using SRI.

Main Methods:

• Adaptation of a previously described SRI technique for use in mice.
• Development of a standardized protocol with success defined by post-injection retinal and retinal pigmented epithelium examination.
• Implementation of a training program for ophthalmologists, assessing proficiency after approximately 350 practice injections.

Main Results:

• A standardized protocol for mouse SRI was developed and described.
• Success criteria were established based on follow-up examination, not solely intraoperative endpoints.
• Proficiency in SRI was achieved by trained ophthalmologists after a defined number of practice injections.

Conclusions:

• The proposed standardized protocol enhances the reliability of subretinal injections in mice.
• This standardized approach is vital for reproducible retinal research and accurate disease modeling.
• The technique facilitates the study of retinal physiology, disease pathogenesis, and therapeutic efficacy.