| First Author | Chua J | Year | 2013 |
| Journal | J Comp Neurol | Volume | 521 |
| Issue | 11 | Pages | 2439-53 |
| PubMed ID | 23348616 | Mgi Jnum | J:200732 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5509133 | Doi | 10.1002/cne.23307 |
| Citation | Chua J, et al. (2013) Early remodeling of Muller cells in the rd/rd mouse model of retinal dystrophy. J Comp Neurol 521(11):2439-53 |
| abstractText | We studied the anatomical remodeling and gliosis of retinal Muller cells in the rd/rd mouse model of photoreceptor degeneration. A computational calculation of glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity was developed so we could specifically quantify changes in Muller cell anatomy between control mice (C57Bl/6) and the dystrophic strain. We found no change in the number of Muller cell somata between mice strains, indicating no cell proliferation as a function of development and degeneration. The retinal area occupied by the total Muller cell body (soma and processes) was significantly less in the rd/rd mouse retina compared with control mice. When only the outer retina was considered, we found rd/rd Muller cell processes were dramatically reduced during the cone phase of photoreceptor degeneration. However, at older ages an increase in Muller cell processes was seen. Conversely, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression showed a significant increase during cone degeneration followed by a reduction in older ages. Muller cell electrophysiology, particularly K(+) currents and membrane potential, was similar between rd/rd and control Muller cells during cone degeneration. Together, these results show that glial remodeling in the rd/rd retina follows separate phases-an initial conservative glial response involving the loss of Muller cells processes, hyperexpression of GFAP, and preservation of normal electrophysiology followed by an active growth of Muller cell processes, glial seal formation, and attenuation of GFAP expression after complete photoreceptor loss. |
