Spatio-temporal analysis of light-induced Fos expression in the retina of rd mutant mice.
Rd mutant mice are visually blind but they maintain the ability of synchronising their circadian rhythms to the external light-dark cycles. We used immunocytochemical procedures to detect light-induced Fos expression in the rd mice retina. We found that Fos is expressed in the rd retina in an unattenuated pattern through the entire life of the animal. Furthermore, we have found that cells expressing Fos are distributed throughout the whole retina, while opsin expression takes place only in the dorsal half of the retina in the 1-year old rd mice. Finally, we found that light induces Fos expression in the rd retina at the same levels during the subjective day as during the subjective night, whereas in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), Fos is stimulated by light only during the subjective night. Our results support the hypothesis that new, undiscovered photoreceptors are implicated in light perception for the circadian system.
Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006, Oviedo, Spain.
J J
JJ
Huerta
M M
MM
Llamosas
R
R
Cernuda-Cernuda
J M
JM
García-Fernández
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos