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Testing retinal toxicity of drugs in animal models using electrophysiological and morphological techniques

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Abstract

Drugs are frequently tested for retinal toxicity in animal models in order to address applied and basic research questions. When a retinal toxicity study is designed, the researcher needs to consider several factors depending on his/her research questions. Among the factors that need to be addressed before a toxicity study is conducted are: the animal species to be used, choice of experimental (functional and/or morphological) techniques, procedure of testing, period of follow-up, and modes of data analysis. This review is a summary of 20 years’ experience of studying retinal toxicity of different drugs in rabbits and rats. The use of the electroretinogram and the visual evoked potential for assessment of outer and inner retinal function, respectively, is described as well as the use of morphological techniques (histology, histochemistry, and immunocytochemistry). The advantages and limitations of functional and morphological techniques are discussed with specific examples from my experience. Recommendations for future drug toxicity studies are summarized.

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to all the researchers and the ophthalmologists (residents and senior) who collaborated with me in retinal research over the past 25 years. Their help and support have been essential to the discoveries in my laboratory. I would like to thank specifically Dr. Esther Zemel, who has been my right-hand help in retinal research and in all the drug toxicity studies of my laboratory, and to Ms. Irit Man whose help in the histological work was crucial. Special thanks to Prof. Anat Loewenstein who presented me with the first drug toxicity study, and has participated actively in many of the studies discussed in this review.

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  1. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Rappaport Institute, P.O. Box 9649, Haifa, 31096, Israel

    Ido Perlman

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Perlman, I. Testing retinal toxicity of drugs in animal models using electrophysiological and morphological techniques. Doc Ophthalmol 118, 3–28 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-008-9153-6

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