Pigment epithelial changes in a strain of pigmented rabbits with low ERG b-wave amplitudes.
Retinas from a strain of rabbits with low dark-adapted electroretinographic (ERG) b-wave amplitudes, and declining ERG responses with time, were examined by light and electron microscopy. Seven rabbits from the affected strain (13 months to 5 years old) and six control animals (6-26 months old) were included in the study. Small inclusions with an electron dense border, about 0.2-1.5 microm in diameter, were significantly (p<0.01) more numerous within the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the affected rabbits than in the control animals. No morphological evidence of retinal degeneration was found. Further studies are needed to establish the functional defect in this strain of rabbits.
Wrigstad
Anders
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. anders.wrigstad@lio.se
Hanitzsch
Renate
R
D000818:Animals; D003623:Dark Adaptation / Q000502:physiology*; D004596:Electroretinography; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011817:Rabbits; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*