A Longitudinal Study on the Expression of the Opsin Gene in the Degenerating Retina of C3H/He Mice

Abstract

By a combination of immunohistochemistry andi in situ hybridization using a ³⁵S-labeled opsin cDNA probe, it was revealed in rd mutant C3H/He mice that opsin mRNA is not detectable in photoreceptor cells which still exhibit opsin-immunoreactivity at later stages of retinal degeneration. This indicates that the photoreceptor cells of rd mutant mice cease to express the opsin gene at earlier stages of retinal degeneration.