Table 2.

Degenerative retinal changes in P23H and S334ter rhodopsin Tg rats

Line	P4	P6	P8	P10	P12	P15	P21	P30	P60	P90	P120	P180	P240	P365
P23H-1	=	=	=	PNx	PN, ONL*	PN, ONL76, IS, OS, MG, MGo	PN, ONL, IS, OS, MGi, MGo	PN, ONL51, IS, OS, MGi	PNx, ONL27, ISx, OSx, MG	PNx, ONL†, ISx, OS†, RPEa	ONL†, ISx, OS†, MCh	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, MCs, INL, IPL, MN, RPEa, RPEn	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, MCs, INL, IPL, MN, RPEa, RPEn
P23H-3	–	=	=	=	PNx, ONL*	PNx, ONL, OS	PN, ONL, IS, OS MGo	PN, ONL77, IS, OS MGo	PN, ONL, IS, OS, MCh. MG, MGi, MGo	PN, ONL60, IS, OS, MCh, MGi, MGo	ONL40, IS, OS, MCh, MGi, MGo	ONL, ISx, OSx, MCh	ONL28x, ONL†, ISx, OS†, MCh	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, MCs, RPEn, RPEa, IPL
P23H-2	–	–	–	–	=	=	PNx	PNx, MGi**, MGo**	PNx, ONL*, MGi**,	PNx, ONL	PNx, ONL, IS, OS	PNx, ONL73, IS, OS, MCh	ONL, PNx, IS, OS, MCh	PNx, ONL61, ISx, OSx, MCh
S334ter-7	PNx, fewMG	PN, dPR, IS, MG, MGi	PN, ONL80*, dPR, ISx, OS†, MG, MGi	PN, ONL61, dPR, ISx, OS†, MG, MGi	PN, ONL24x ONL†, dPR, ISx, OS†, MG, MGi	PN, dPR, ISx, OS†, ONL†, fewMG	PNx, ONL†, dPR, IS†, OS†, fewMG	PNx, ONL†, IS†, OS† MG**	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	–	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa
S334ter-3	PNx	PNx	PN, dPR, OS†	PN, ONL*, dPR, IS, OS†, MG MGo	PN, ONL55*, dPR, ISx, OS†, MG, MGo	PN, ONL34, dPR, ISx, OS†, MG	PNx, ONL†, ISx, OS†, MG**	PNx, ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh	PNx, ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, IPL, MN	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, IPL, MN, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, IPL, MN, RPEa, RPEn	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, IPL, MN, RPEa, RPEn	–	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, IPL, MN, RPEa, RPEn
S334ter-5	=	=	dPR, OS	PNx, dPR, OS, fewMG	PN, ONL*, dPR, IS, OS, OSd, MG, MGo	PN, ONL75, dPR, IS, OS, OSd, MG, MGo	PN, ONL50, dPR, ISx, OS, OSd, fewMG	PNx, ONL40, dPR, ISx, OSx, fewMG, MGi**	ONL†, ISx, OS†	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, MN, MG**	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn, IPL	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn, IPL	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn, IPL
S334ter-4	–	=	=	=	PNx	PNx, OSv	PN, ONL*, OSv, fewMG, fewMGo	PNx, ONL76, OS, OSv, fewMG	PNx, ONL50, IS, OSx, MG**, fewMGo	PNx	PNx, ONL34x, ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, MG**	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn, IPL	ONL†, IS†, OS†, MCh, RPEa, RPEn, IPL
S334ter-9	–	–	–	–	=	= MG**	=	=	=	=	ONL*	ONL, PNx, MG**	ONL, PNx, IS, OS	ONL75, PNx, ISx, OSx, MG**

=, no difference from normal SD retina; –, not examined.

For each transgenic line, the observations are based on examination of the eyes from 2–5 rats at each age, and compared to those of 3 SD control rats at each age.

Note: Where superior/inferior asymmetry exists, the earliest changes are typically seen in the superior posterior retina, which are indicated here as the first degenerative changes; these are not seen in the peripheral or inferior retina until slightly later ages.

PN, pyknotic nuclei number in ONL greater than normal (2+ per 180-μm field). PNx, more PN than normal, but < 2 per 180-μm field.

ONL*, overall outer nuclear layer first thinner than normal (P < 0.5). ONL, ONL thinner than normal. ONLxx, % of control of ONL as close to 75%, 50% and 25% of control as was measured. ONL†, ONL reduced to less than one complete row in most degenerated region. (Note: the quantitative measure of % of control ONL thickness is an overall measurement {see Methods}, whereas the ONL† is descriptive of the most degenerated region. Thus, P23H-3 at P240, for example, has an ONL that is 28% of control overall, but is less than one complete row in the superior posterior retina.)

IS, inner segments shorter than normal. ISx, IS reduced to very short, thin nubs. IS†, IS missing.

OS, outer segments shorter than normal. OSx, OS reduced to very short nubs. OS†, OS missing. OSd, OS more disorganized than normal. OSv, many OS vacuolated or pale-staining.

dPR, displaced photoreceptors in outer segment zone greater number than normal.

INL, inner nuclear layer thinner than normal.

MCh, Müller cell hypertrophy in the IPL.

MCs, Müller cell seal in outer retina.

MN, apparent microneuromas in INL.

RPEn, RPE neovascularization from retinal capillaries.

RPEa, RPE attenuation at focal points.

IPL, strands of INL nuclei cross the IPL.