The intact isolated (ex vivo) retina as a model system for the study of excitotoxicity.
Excitotoxicity is defined as a mode of neural cell death triggered by overactivation of receptors for the amino acid transmitter glutamate. There is considerable evidence that excitotoxicity is responsible for cell death in several neuropathological states, including some retinal diseases. The isolated retina, particularly from chick embryos, has been used extensively as an experimental system to characterize this process. This paper summarizes the use of isolated retina as a model system for studies of excitotoxicity from a theoretical and methodological point of view, and reviews results obtained from studies utilizing this system.
Department of Ophthalmology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
C
C
Romano
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Q
Chen
J W
JW
Olney
D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D018683:Excitatory Amino Acid Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate