Recent findings and perspectives of the vision screen in the German Mouse Clinic

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was the large‐scale screening of different mouse models for eye disorders. Methods The eyes of the mouse mutants were analyzed by slit lamp biomicroscopy, funduscopy, and laser interference biometry. Cataracts were quantified by Scheimpflug imaging. Results In the past 15 months, 36 mouse mutant lines were screened in the German Mouse Clinic. Two of them, Ali030 and Fra2, were affected in eye development. Funduscopy and histology of Ali030 indicated an optic nerve head dysplasia due to an alternative splicing of the serine/threonine‐protein kinase gene Bmpr1b. Fra2 is characterized by an H2‐Kb promoter induced ectopic expression of the transcription factor gene Fosl‐2. Laser interference biometric eye size measurements revealed a significantly reduced mean lens thickness in transgenic mice, indicating a putative role of Fosl‐2 in lens development. We further tested the clinically well established Scheimpflug imaging technique as a putative tool for cataract quantification in the vision screen. Measurements with the O377‐crybB2 mouse mutant line successfully imaged even faint zonular opacifications. Furthermore, a core density of 40% and a peripherical opacification between 10% and 14% was calculable. Our results demonstrated that Scheimpflug imaging is an improved quantitative alternative to subjective slit lamp investigations. Conclusion Two novel mouse models for optic nerve head dysplasia and microphakia were detected in the vision screen. Scheimpflug imaging was demonstrated to be suitable for cataract quantification in the mouse lens.