FIGURE 6.
A, Typical dark-adapted RCS rat electroretinographic (ERG) waveform averages in response to a bright flash (10 cd-s/m2) correlated with postnatal ages. The a- and b-wave and scotopic threshold response amplitudes are indicated for each waveform. Dramatic decreases of ERG amplitudes occur as photoreceptor degeneration progresses during the first 14 postnatal weeks. B, C, and D, ERG responses from 3 representative RCS rats implanted at postnatal age 3 weeks and recorded at weekly intervals for 8 additional weeks after surgery. The unoperated eye responses (thin lines) are superimposed over the active (thick lines) or inactive (dotted lines) implant eye responses. Immediately after surgery, the ERG responses from both implanted eyes were reduced as a result of surgical manipulation. By 4 to 5 weeks after surgery, the responses of the active-implant eyes were greater than those of the opposite eyes in each treatment group. Reprinted with permission from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.71