Figure 2. Loss of PI(3)P and rapid retinal degeneration in Vps34^∆rod mice.

(A) PI(3)P ELISA of lipids extracted from rod inner/outer segments of light-exposed retinas. Error bars are means ± SEM, n = 3. (B) Loss of visual responses revealed by electroretinography (ERG). Error bars are means ± SEM, n = 4–6 mice. * indicates a significant difference between 8 week Vps34^fl/fl and 8 week Vps34^Δrod (p < 0.001). (C) Retina sections of control and knockout mice stained with rhodopsin antibodies (Rho) and DAPI reveal loss of more than half of photoreceptors by 8 weeks, and no detectable rods by 12 weeks, in Vps34^∆rod animals.