Visual capacity in albino mice. Are albino mice good for every neuroscience’s experiment?

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To show the visual capacity in two different albino mice (NMRI and CD1).Methods 66 albino mice from two mice’s strains were analyzed: CD1 and NMRI, obtained about from two different organizations. Full field Electroretinogram was used in the functional analysis. The recommendation of the International Society for the Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) was followed. Furthermore, we recorded ERG responses at chromatic sensitivity. We have compared immunohistoquimical photoreceptor’s stain with arrestin, rodopsin, S‐opsin and M‐opsin. We have used antibodies anti‐achromatopsia gens, like GNTA2 and CNGB3.Results CD1 and NMRI electroretinogram results showed two different visual patrons: a normal responses and coneless vision. An important per cent of CD1 mice (≅ 30%) and NMRI mice (≅ 20%) have visual defects in the photopic responses. The affected mice show a very significant reduction on the cone responses (p<0,01). Because we used chromatic stimulus we can say that the photopic defect occur in every cone, we can appreciate colorblindness. The structural study allows us to say how the photoreceptors are affected when the electroretinogam photopic response is not adequate. The functional and cellular results seem to indicate that these mice suffer an achromatopsia.Conclusion Our experiments show the significant number of coneless mice in a normal order of the experimental animals. Ignorance of visual problems in experimental animals might compromise the results of conductual experiment or other kinds of studies. Electroretinogram tests are recommended before conductual studies with albino mice or different works, to know if the mice have a correct vision.