Biochemistry of retinal degeneration in rats and mice: A short review.
A review of the biochemistry of retinal degeneration in mice and rats is presented, recording research over the past 20 years. The finding particularly relevant to the aetiology of the condition is an anomaly in cyclic GMP metabolism in the photoreceptors of affected retinae. In mice, the consequence of this is an increase in cyclic GMP content in photoreceptor cells, whilst in the rat, a decrease occurs. In both species, there is failure in proper development of the photoreceptor cells. It is suggested that the inherited dysfunction in cyclic nucleotide metabolism is connected with lysosomal enzyme release also seen in this condition, and that the sequence produces cellular degeneration.
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H W
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MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Univ. Dept. of Pharmacology, 1 George Square, Edinburgh UK.