Static, but not optokinetic visual stimuli induce Fos expression in the retina and brain of retinal degeneration mice.
The stimulated expression of the c-fos gene was used in this study to characterize the residual vision of retinal degeneration (rd) mice. Conventional immunohistochemistry was employed to detect Fos-positive nuclei in the rd mouse retina and brain after monocular application of static and dynamic photic stimuli. Diffuse light induced Fos-positive nuclei in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers of the stimulated retina and in the contralateral pretectal olivary nucleus. On the other hand, Fos-positive nuclei were rarely detected in the rd mouse retina and brain after stimulation with a slowly displaced random-dot pattern. These results suggest that the residual vision of the rd mouse involves mainly the circuits that are related to the processing of static photic stimuli.
Lima
Alice G
AG
Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1524, 05508-900, SP, São Paulo, Brazil.
Britto
Luiz R G
LR
Hossokawa
Neide M
NM
Hamassaki-Britto
Dânia E
DE
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016762:Genes, fos; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009847:Olivary Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*