The electroretinogram (ERG) of a diurnal cone-rich laboratory rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus).
The most widespread models to study blindness, rats and mice, have retinas containing less than 3% cones. The diurnal rodent Arvicanthis niloticus retina has around 35% cones. Using ERG recordings, we studied retina function in this species. Several features differed from that reported in rats and mice: (a) fivefold larger photopic a-wave amplitudes; (b) photopic hill effect in Nile grass rats only; and (c) flicker amplitude plateau between 5 to 35 Hz with fusion beyond 60 Hz in Nile grass rats only. We conclude that A. niloticus might complement rats and mice for studying retinal function and pathologies involving cones.
Gilmour
Gregory S
GS
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alberta, Alta., Canada.
Gaillard
Frédéric
F
Watson
Juliane
J
Kuny
Sharee
S
Mema
Silvina C
SC
Bonfield
Stephan
S
Stell
William K
WK
Sauvé
Yves
Y
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003623:Dark Adaptation / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009115:Muridae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D055815:Young Adult