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Vibratome Sectioning Mouse Retina to Prepare Photoreceptor Cultures
Published on: December 22, 2014
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Chemically induced cone degeneration in the 13-lined ground squirrel
Hannah M Follett1, Emma Warr2, Jenna Grieshop2,3
1Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Visual Neuroscience
|May 10, 2024
Summary
Chemically induced photoreceptor degeneration in 13-lined ground squirrels (13-LGS) showed variable results. Iodoacetic acid caused severe damage, while other chemicals induced inconsistent or no degeneration, highlighting the need for further research.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Animal Models
Background:
- Animal models are crucial for studying retinal degeneration and testing therapies.
- Chemically induced photoreceptor damage is a common method, but in vivo monitoring is less explored.
- 13-lined ground squirrels (13-LGS) offer a cone-dominant model for retinal research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of different chemicals in inducing photoreceptor degeneration in 13-LGS.
- To monitor the in vivo cellular effects using advanced retinal imaging techniques.
- To assess the variability and reliability of these models for future research.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal scanning light ophthalmoscopy (SLO), optical coherence tomography, and adaptive optics SLO imaging were employed.
- 46 13-LGS (52 eyes) received intravitreal injections of various chemicals.
- Retinal structure was examined following injections during the 2019-2020 active seasons.
Main Results:
- Iodoacetic acid induced severe pan-retinal damage, except at the lowest concentration.
- Sodium nitroprusside caused variable outer retinal damage and affected control eyes.
- Adenosine triphosphate and tunicamycin showed outer retinal specific damage; thapsigargin induced no degeneration.
Conclusions:
- Chemically induced photoreceptor degeneration models in 13-LGS exhibit significant variability.
- Further studies are needed to understand the physiological basis for this variability.
- Optimizing these models is critical for advancing retinal degeneration research.
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