Abstract
In retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), photoreceptors degenerate while inner retinal layers are relatively spared. In these cases, it is thought that, if given a signal, the “healthy” inner retina would be capable of processing visual information in a somewhat normal fashion. Several laboratories are testing treatments designed to replace lost photoreceptors by transplanting healthy retinal tissue (Woch et al., 2001; Coffey et al., 2002) or implanting a light sensitive prosthetic device (Chow et al., 2001; Zrenner et al., 1999) into the subretinal space. These strategies will work only if the inner retina is intact and functional. Recent evidence in humans as well as rodent models of RP shows that, especially at later stages of disease progression, the inner retina begins to exhibit changes (Stone et al., 1992; Strettoi et al., 2002). Determining the nature of these changes is critical to understanding the disease process as well as developing treatments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ball, S.L., Powers, P.A., Shin, H-S., Morgans, C.W., Peachey, N.S., and Gregg, R.G., 2002, Role of the l3 subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels in the retinal outer plexiform layerInvest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.43:1595–1603.
Brandstätter, J.H., Fletcher, E.L., Garner, C.C., Gundelfinger, E.D., and Wässle, H., 1999, Differential expression of the presynaptic cytomatrix protein bassoon among ribbon synapses in the mammalian retinaEur J Neurosci.11:3683–3693.
Bush, R.A., Hawks, K.W., and Sieving, P.A., 1995, Preservation of inner retinal responses in the aged Royal College of Surgeons rat. Evidence against glutamate excitotoxicity in photoreceptor degenerationInvest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.36:2054–2062.
Chow, A.Y., Pardue, M.T., Chow, V.Y., Peyman, G.A., Liang, C., Perlman, J.I., and Peachey, N.S., 2001, Implantation of silicon chip microphotodiode arrays into the cat subretinal spaceIEEE Trans Neural Sys Rehab Eng.9:86–95.
Coffey P.J., Girman S., Wang S.M., Hetherington L., Keegan D.J., Adamson P., Greenwood J., Lund R.D., 2002, Long-term preservation of cortically dependent visual function in RCS rats by transplantationNat Neurosci.5:53–6.
Chu, Y., Humphrey, M.F., and Constable, I.J., 1993, Horizontal cells of the normal and dystrophic rat retina: A wholemount study using immunolabelling for the 28-kD calcium-binding proteinExp Eye Res.57:141148.
Dizhoor, A.M., Ray, S., Kumar, S., Niemi, G., Spencer, M., Brolley, D., Walsh, K.A., Philipov, P.P., Hurley, J.B., and Stryer, L., 1991, Recoverin: a calcium sensitive activator of retinal rod guanylate cyclaseScience. 251:915–918.
D’Cruz, P.M., Yasumura, D., Weir, J., Matthes, M.T., Aberrahim, H., LaVail, M.M., and Vollrath, D., 2000, Mutation of the receptor tyrosine kinase gene Mertk in the retinal dystrophic RCS ratHum Mol Gen.9: 645–651.
Dowling, J.E., and Sidman, R.L., 1962, Inherited retinal dystrophy in the ratJCell Biol.14:73–109.
Eisenfeld, A.J., LaVail, M.M., and LaVail, J.H., 1984, Assessment of possible transneuronal changes in the retina of rats with inherited retinal dystrophyJ Comp Neurol.223:22–34.
Fletcher, E.L. and Kalloniatis, M., 1997, Neurochemical development of the degenerating rat retinaJ Comp Neurol.420:98–112.
Gabriel, R. and Witkovsky, P., 1998, Cholinergic, but not the rod pathway-related glycinergic (AII), amacrine cells contain calretinin in the rat retinaNeurosci Lett.247:179–182.
Greferath, U., Grünert, U., Wässle, H., 1990, Rod bipolar cells in the mammalian retina show protein kinase C-like immunoreactivityJ Comp Neural 301:433–442.
Gründer, T., Kohler K., and Guenther, E., 2001, Alterations in NMDA receptor expression during retinal degeneration in the RCS ratVis Neurosci.18:781–787.
Gründer, T., Kohler, K., Kaletta, A., and Guenther, E., 2000, Distribution and developmental regulation of NMDA receptor subunit proteins in the outer and inner retina of the ratJNeurobiol.44:333–342.
Günhan, E., Choudary, P.V., Landerholm, T.E., and Chalupa, L.M., 2002, Depletion of cholinergic amacrine cells by a novel immunotoxin does not perturb the formation of segregated on and off cone bipolar cell projectionsJ Neurosci.22:2265–2273.
Haas, C.A., DeGennaro, L.J., Müller, M., and Hollander, H., 1990, Synapsin I expression in the rat retina during postnatal developmentExp Brain Res.82:25–32.
Hanitzsch, R., Zeumer, C., Lichtenberger, T., and Wurziger, K., 1998, Impaired function of bipolar cells in the Royal College of Surgeons ratActa Anatom. 162:119–126.
Hartig, W., Grosche, J., Distler, C., Grimm, D., El-Hifnawi, E., and Reichenbach, A., 1995, Alterations of Müller (glial) cells in dystrophic retinae of RCS ratsJ Neurocytol.24:507–517.
Haverkamp, S., and Wässle, H., 2000, Immunocytochemical analysis of the mouse retinaJ Comp Neurol.424:1–23.
LaVail, M.M., 2001, Legacy of the RCS rat: impact of a seminal study on retinal cell biology and retinal degenerative diseasesProg Brain Res. 131:617–27.
LaVail, M.M., and Battelle, B.A., 1975, Influence of eye pigmentation and light deprivation on inherited retinal dystrophy in the ratExp Eye Res. 21:167–92.
Mandell, J.W., Townes-Anderson, E., Czernik, A.J., Cameron, R., Greengard, P., and De Camilli, P., 1990, Synapsins in the vertebrate retina: absence from ribbon synapses and heterogeneous distribution among conventional synapsesNeuron. 5:19–33.
McGinnis, J.F., Stepanik, P.L., Chen, W., Elias, R., Cao, W., and Lerious, V., 1999, Unique retina cell phenotypes revealed by immunological analysis of recoverin expression in rat retina cells, J Neurosci. 55:252–260.
Milam, A.H., Dacey, D.M., and Dizhoor, A.M., 1993, Recoverin immunoreactivity in mammalian cone bipolar cellsVis Neurosci. 10:1–12.
Mullen, R.J., and LaVail, M.M., 1976, Inherited retinal dystrophy: primary defect in pigment epithelium determined with experimental rat chimerasScience.192:799–801.
Okada, M., Okuma, Y., Osumi, Y., Nishihara, M., Yokotani, K., and Ueno, H., 2000, Neurotransmitter contents in the retina of the RCS ratGraefe ‘s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol.238:998–1001.
Sarthy, P.V. and Bacon, W., 1985, Developmental expression of a synaptic vesicle-specific protein in the rat retinaDev Biol.112:284–91.
Sheedlo, H.J., Jaynes, D., Bolan, A.L., and Turner, J.E., 1995, Müllerian glia in dystrophic rodent retinas: an immunocytochemical analysisDev Brain Res. 85:171–180.
Stepanik, P.L., Lerious, V., and McGinnis, J.F., 1993, Developmental appearance, species and tissue specificityof mouse 23-kDa, a retinal calcium-binding protein (recoverin)Exp Eye Res. 57:189–197.
Strettoi, E. and Pignatelli, V., 2000, Modificaitons of retinal neurons in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosaProceed Natl Acad Sci. 97:11020–11025.
Strettoi, E., Porciatti, V., Falsini, B., Pinatelli, V., and Rossi, C., 2002, Morphological and functional abnormalities in the inner retina of therd/rdmouse,JNeurosci.22:5492–5504.
Stone, J.L., Barlow, W.E., Humayun, M.S., de Juan, E. Jr, and, Milam, A.H., 1992, Morphometric analysis of macular photoreceptors and ganglion cells in retinas with retinitis pigmentosaArch Opthalmol. 110:1634–1640.
Villegas-Perez, M.P., Lawrence, J.M., Vidal-Sanz, M., LaVail, M.M., and Lund, R.D., 1998, Ganglion cell loss in RCS rat retina: a result of compression of axons by contracting intraretinal vessels linked to the pigment epitheliumJ Comp Neurol. 392:58–77.
Voigt T., 1986, Cholinergie amacrine cells in the rat retinaJ Comp Neurol. 248:19–35.
Wässle, H., Grünert, U., and Rohrenbeck, J., 1993, Immunocytochemical staining of All-amacrine cells in the rat retina with antibodies against parvalbuminJ Comp Neurol.332:407–420.
Woch, G., Aramant, R.B., Seiler, M.J., Sagdullaev, B.T., and McCall, M.A., 2001, Retinal transplants restore visually evoked responses in rats with photoreceptor degenerationInvest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 42:1669-1676.
Zrenner, E., Stett, A., Weiss, S., Aramant, R.B., Guenther, E., Kohler, K., Miliczek, K.D, Seiler, M.J., and Haemmerle, H., 1999, Can subretinal microphotodiodes successfully replace degenerated photoreceptors?Vision Res.39:2555–67.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this paper
Cite this paper
Ball, S., Hanzlicek, B., Blum, M., Pardue, M. (2003). Evaluation of Inner Retinal Structure in the Aged RCS Rat. In: LaVail, M.M., Hollyfield, J.G., Anderson, R.E. (eds) Retinal Degenerations. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 533. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0067-4_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0067-4_23
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4909-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0067-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive