[Techniques for evaluating neuronal death of the retina in vitro and in vivo]

This review describes the techniques to evaluate retinal neurodegeneration induced by excitatory amino acids and transient ischemia. Glutamate-induced neurotoxicity was examined in cultured rat cortical cells. Cultures obtained from the retinas of fetal rats were incubated in Eagle's minimal essential medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum or 10% horse serum at 37 degrees C in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere for 10-14 days. The neurotoxicity induced by glutamate was quantified by trypan blue exclusion. The viability of cultures was markedly reduced by a 10-min exposure to glutamate followed by incubation with glutamate-free medium for 1 hr. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced retinal damage was examined in adult rats. Transverse sections of the retinas through the optic disk were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A single intravitreal injection of NMDA damaged the ganglion cell layer and the inner plexiform layer without affecting the other retinal layers 7 days after injection. Retinal ischemia was induced by elevating the intraocular pressure for 45 min through the needle which was placed in the anterior chamber. Ischemia-induced retinal damage was inhibited by MK-801. These results indicate that the techniques described in this review can be employed to develop new drugs possessing neuroprotective action against neurodegeneration that occurs during retinal ischemia.