title: Contribution of retinal ganglion cells to the mouse electroretinogram.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the direct contribution of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) on individual components of the mouse electroretinogram (ERG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dark- and light-adapted ERGs from mice 8 to 12 weeks after optic nerve transection (ONTx, n=14) were analyzed through stimulus response curves for a- and b-waves, oscillatory potentials (OPs), positive and negative scotopic threshold response (p/n STR), and the photopic negative response (PhNR) and compared with unoperated and sham-operated controls, as well as to eyes treated with 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dion (CNQX).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We confirmed in mice that CNQX intravitreal injection reduced the scotopic a-wave amplitude at high flash strength, confirming a post-receptoral contribution to the a-wave. We found that ONTx, which is more specific to RGCs, did not affect the a-wave amplitude and implicit time in either photopic or scotopic conditions while the b-wave was reduced. Both the pSTR and nSTR components were reduced in amplitude, with the balance between the two components resulting in a shortening of the nSTR peak implicit time. On the other hand, amplitude of the PhNR was increased while the OPs were minimally affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With an intact a-wave demonstrated following ONTx, we find that the most robust indicators of RGC function in the mouse full-field ERG were the STR components.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Balwantray C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Patrice D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D003623:Dark Adaptation / Q000502:physiology; D004596:Electroretinography; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000633:toxicity; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D055254:Night Vision / Q000502:physiology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000502:physiology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione