In vivo imaging of the mouse model of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis with fourier domain optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD OCT) as a noninvasive tool for retinal imaging in the Rs1h-knockout mouse (model for X-linked juvenile retinoschisis).


METHODS
A prototype spectrometer-based FD OCT system was used in combination with a custom optical beam-scanning platform. Images of the retinas from wild-type and Rs1h-knockout mice were acquired noninvasively with FD OCT with the specimen anesthetized. At the completion of the noninvasive FD OCT imaging, invasive retinal cross-sectional images (histology) were acquired from a nearby region for comparison to the FD OCT images.


RESULTS
The retinal layers were identifiable in the FD OCT images, permitting delineation and thickness measurement of the outer nuclear layer (ONL). During FD OCT in vivo imaging of the Rs1h-knockout mouse, holes were observed in the inner nuclear layer (INL), and retinal cell disorganization was observed as a change in the backscattering intensity profile. Comparison of the ONL measurements acquired noninvasively with FD OCT to measurements taken using histology at nearby locations showed a degeneration of roughly 30% of the ONL by the age of 2 months in Rs1h-knockout mice relative to wild-type.


CONCLUSIONS
FD OCT was demonstrated to be effective for noninvasive imaging of retinal degeneration and observation of retinal holes in Rs1h-knockout mice.
Xu
Jing
J
School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Molday
Laurie L
LL
Molday
Robert S
RS
Sarunic
Marinko V
MV
D000818:Animals; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D055351:Retinal Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D041441:Retinoschisis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005136:Eye Proteins; C491843:RS1 protein, mouse