Genetic regulation of light damage to photoreceptors.
Albino mice of different inbred strains have been exposed to constant fluorescent lighting at an illuminance level of 115-130 ft-c for intervals of 1-6 weeks. Under these conditions the photoreceptors in retinas of albino BALB/cByJ mice rapidly degenerate, whereas the photoreceptors in retinas of albino C57BL/6J-c2J mice are remarkably more resistant to light damage. F1 heterozygotes produced from these two strains display an intermediate degree of light-induced degeneration. These findings demonstrate that phenotypically identical populations with different genetic constitutions can show markedly different sensitivities to light, and that genetic factors must now be included as a determinant for the severity of light damage.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D006579:Heterozygote; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology