Simultaneous ex vivo Functional Testing of Two Retinas by in vivo Electroretinogram System

Summary

Ex vivo ERG can be used to record electrical activity of retinal cells directly from isolated intact retinas of animals or humans. We demonstrate here how common in vivo ERG systems can be adapted for ex vivo ERG recordings in order to dissect the electrical activity of retinal cells.

Abstract

An In vivo electroretinogram (ERG) signal is composed of several overlapping components originating from different retinal cell types, as well as noise from extra-retinal sources. Ex vivo ERG provides an efficient method to dissect the function of retinal cells directly from an intact isolated retina of animals or donor eyes. In addition, ex vivo ERG can be used to test the efficacy and safety of potential therapeutic agents on retina tissue from animals or humans. We show here how commercially available in vivo ERG systems can be used to conduct ex vivo ERG recordings from isolated mouse retinas. We combine the light stimulation, electronic and heating units of a standard in vivo system with custom-designed specimen holder, gravity-controlled perfusion system and electromagnetic noise shielding to record low-noise ex vivo ERG signals simultaneously from two retinas with the acquisition software included in commercial in vivo systems. Further, we demonstrate how to use this method in combination with pharmacological treatments that remove specific ERG components in order to dissect the function of certain retinal cell types.

Introduction

Electroretinogram (ERG) is a well-established technique that can be used to record the electrical activity of the retina triggered by light. The ERG signal is generated mainly by voltage changes caused by radial currents (along the axis of photoreceptors and bipolar cells) flowing in the resistive extracellular space of the retina. The first ERG signal was recorded in 1865 by Holmgren from the surface of a fish eye¹. Einthoven and Jolly 1908² divided the ERG response to the onset of light into three different waves, called a-, b-, and c-waves, that are now known to reflect mainly the activity of photoreceptors, ON bipolar cells, and pigment epith....

Protocol

All experimental protocols were in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and were approved by the institutional Animal Studies Committee at Washington University.

1. Setting Up Perfusion and Specimen Holder

1. Prepare solution for retina perfusion fresh on the day of the experiment. Use distilled and deionized water. Use one of the following three solutions.
   1. Prepare Bicarbonate-containing Ames’ solution (1 L): 1 bottle of Ames’ media and 1.9 g of NaHCO₃,
   2. Prepare Locke’s solution (in mM): 112.5 NaCl, 3.6 KCl, 2.4 MgCl₂, 1.2 CaCl₂....

Results

We recorded flash responses from dark-adapted wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mouse retinas by following the experimental protocols described above and illustrated in Figure 1 by using different standard perfusion solutions (Figure 2). The response waveforms and kinetics as well as sensitivity of rod photoreceptors appeared similar in Ames’ and Locke’s media (Figure 2A and B). On the other hand, under HEPES-buffered Ringer solution (no bicarbonate or 5% CO_{2 .......}

Discussion

We demonstrate here the critical steps for obtaining high-quality ex vivo ERG recordings simultaneously from two isolated mouse retinas by using in vivo ERG system components together with an ex vivo ERG adapter. In this study we perfused both retinas from the animal with the same solution (either Ames’, Locke’s or Ringer) but it is also possible to perfuse each retina with a different solution e.g., for drug testing purposes. The most important steps for obtaining high qua.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
In vivo ERG system	OcuScience	HMsERG	www.ocuscience.us/id77.html
In vivo ERG system	LKC Technologies	UTAS-E 3000	www.lkc.com/products/UTAS/bigshot.html
Ex vivo adapter	OcuScience	Ex VIVO ERG adapter	www.ocuscience.us/id107.html
Dissection microscope	North Central Instruments	Leica M80	May use any brand
IR emitter	Opto Diode Corp.	OD-50L	www.optodiode.com
Prowler Night Vision Scopes	B.E. Meyers Electro Optics	D4300-I	Military grade product.
Red filter	Rosco Laboratories	Roscolux #27 Medium Red	May be used instead of IR system
Red head light	OcuScience	ERGX011	www.ocuscience.us/catalog/i29.html
Microscissors	WPI, Inc.	500086	www.wpiinc.com/
Dumont tweezers #5	WPI, Inc.	14101
Razor blades	Electron Microscopy Sciences	72000	www.emsdiasum.com
Scale	Metler Toledo	AB54-S/FACT	May use any brand
pH meter and electrode	Beckman Coulter	pHI 350	May use any brand
NaCl	Sigma-Aldrich	S7653	May use any brand
KCl	Sigma-Aldrich	60129	May use any brand
MgCl2	Sigma-Aldrich	63020	1.0 M solution
CaCl2	Sigma-Aldrich	21114	1.0 M solution
EDTA	Sigma-Aldrich	431788	May use any brand
HEPES	Sigma-Aldrich	H3375	May use any brand
Sodium Bicarbonate	Sigma-Aldrich	S6297	May use any brand
Ames medium	Sigma-Aldrich	A1420	May use any brand
BaCl2	Sigma-Aldrich	B0750	May use any brand
DL-AP4	Tocris Bioscience	101	May use any brand
Succinic acid disodium salt	Sigma-Aldrich	224731	May use any brand
L-Glutamic acid	Sigma-Aldrich	G2834	May use any brand
D-(+)-Glucose	Sigma-Aldrich	G7528	May use any brand
Leibovitz culture medium L-15	Sigma-Aldrich	L4386	May use any brand
MEM vitamins	Sigma-Aldrich	M6895
MEM amino acids	Sigma-Aldrich	M5550
Carbogen	Airgas	UN3156	5% CO2