title: Characterizing the Retinal Function of Psammomys obesus: A Diurnal Rodent Model to Study Human Retinal Function.
abstract: To compare the retinal function of a diurnal murid rodent, Psammomys obesus, with that of Wistar albino rat and human subjects.
  
  
  
  Adult Psammomys obesus were captured and transferred to the animal facilities where they were maintained at 25°C with standard light/dark cycles and natural halophilic plants, rich in water and mineral salts. Standard full-field photopic and scotopic electroretinograms were obtained.
  
  
  
  The right eye of all animals displayed well detectable and reproducible scotopic and photopic electroretinogram (ERG) responses. Results were compared with those obtained from human subjects and Wistar rats. ERG measurement showed that the amplitudes of scotopic responses in Psammomys obesus are quite similar to those of human subjects. The amplitude of the photopic a-wave was comparable to that of humans and six times higher than that of the albino rat. The amplitudes of photopic b-wave, photopic oscillatory potentials (OPs), and 30 Hz flicker were all markedly larger in Psammomys obesus compared to those obtained from human subjects and Wistar rats. Furthermore, like the human photopic ERG, the photopic ERG of Psammomys obesus also includes prominent post b-wave components (i.e. i- and d-waves) while the ERG of Wistar rats does not.
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that the retinal function of Psammomys obesus, especially the cone-mediated function, shares several features with that of human subjects. We believe that Psammomys obesus represents an interesting alternative to study the structure and function of the normal and diseased retina in a human-like rodent model of retinal function.
authors.affiliation: a UR Ecophysiologie et Procédés Agroalimentaires , Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie, Université de la Manouba , Ariana , Tunisie.|b Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte , Université de Carthage , Zarzouna , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dellaa
authors.affiliation: c Département d'Ophtalmologie , Institut de Recherche du Centre Universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polosa
authors.affiliation: a UR Ecophysiologie et Procédés Agroalimentaires , Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie, Université de la Manouba , Ariana , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Sihem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mbarek
authors.affiliation: a UR Ecophysiologie et Procédés Agroalimentaires , Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie, Université de la Manouba , Ariana , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Imane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hammoum
authors.affiliation: d Service d'Ophtalmologie, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba , Monastir , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Riadh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Messaoud
authors.affiliation: d Service d'Ophtalmologie, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba , Monastir , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Soumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amara
authors.affiliation: e Industrie Pharmaceutique UNIMED, Zone Industrielle, Kalaa Kebira , Sousse , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Rached
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azaiz
authors.affiliation: e Industrie Pharmaceutique UNIMED, Zone Industrielle, Kalaa Kebira , Sousse , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charfeddine
authors.affiliation: f Service d'Explorations Fonctionnelles du Système Nerveux, Hôpital Universitaire Sahloul , Sousse , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogui
authors.affiliation: d Service d'Ophtalmologie, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba , Monastir , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khairallah
authors.affiliation: c Département d'Ophtalmologie , Institut de Recherche du Centre Universitaire de santé McGill , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lachapelle
authors.affiliation: a UR Ecophysiologie et Procédés Agroalimentaires , Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie, Université de la Manouba , Ariana , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Rafika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben Chaouacha-Chekir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D055253:Color Vision / Q000502:physiology*; D004596:Electroretinography; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D055254:Night Vision / Q000502:physiology*; D009991:Oscillometry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cone; Psammomys obesus; diurnal; electroretinogram; oscillatory potential