characteristics of rod regeneration in a novel zebrafish retinal degeneration model using N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)
- Tappeiner, Christoph Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Balmer, Jasmin Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Iglicki, Matias Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland - Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clinicas, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Schuerch, Kaspar Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Jaźwińska, Anna Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
- Enzmann, Volker Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Tschopp, Markus Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland - Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland
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12.08.2013
Published in:
- PLoS ONE. - 2013, vol. 8, no. 8, p. e71064
English
Primary loss of photoreceptors caused by diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa is one of the main causes of blindness worldwide. To study such diseases, rodent models of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced retinal degeneration are widely used. As zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a popular model system for visual research that offers persistent retinal neurogenesis throughout the lifetime and retinal regeneration after severe damage, we have established a novel MNU-induced model in this species. Histology with staining for apoptosis (TUNEL), proliferation (PCNA), activated Müller glial cells (GFAP), rods (rhodopsin) and cones (zpr-1) were performed. A characteristic sequence of retinal changes was found. First, apoptosis of rod photoreceptors occurred 3 days after MNU treatment and resulted in a loss of rod cells. Consequently, proliferation started in the inner nuclear layer (INL) with a maximum at day 8, whereas in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) a maximum was observed at day 15. The proliferation in the ONL persisted to the end of the follow-up (3 months), interestingly, without ongoing rod cell death. We demonstrate that rod degeneration is a sufficient trigger for the induction of Müller glial cell activation, even if only a minimal number of rod cells undergo cell death. In conclusion, the use of MNU is a simple and feasible model for rod photoreceptor degeneration in the zebrafish that offers new insights into rod regeneration.
- Faculty
- Faculté des sciences et de médecine
- Department
- Département de Biologie
- Language
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- English
- Classification
- Biological sciences
- License
- License undefined
- Identifiers
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- RERO DOC 32945
- DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0071064
- Persistent URL
- https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/303327
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