Photoreceptor damage induced by low-intensity light: model of retinal degeneration in mammals.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Retinal degeneration caused by a defect in the phototransduction cascade leads to the apoptosis of photoreceptor cells, although the precise molecular mechanism is still unknown. In addition, constant low light exposure produces photoreceptor cell death through the activation of downstream phototransduction. The authors investigated the time course and molecular mechanisms of death and the rhodopsin phosphorylation occurring during retinal degeneration after exposure to continuous low-intensity light.

Methods

Wistar rats were exposed to constant cool white 200 lx intensity LED light (LL) for one to ten days and compared with animals kept in the dark (DD) or controls exposed to a regular 12:12 h (LD) cycle. One eye from each rat was used for histological and quantitat

SUBMITTER: Contin MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3724958 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature