Revival of light-evoked neuronal signals in the post-mortem mouse and human retina

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.30.180497
• Publication Date: 2020-07-01T09:25:11Z
• Authors: Fatima Abbas; Silke Becker; Bryan W. Jones; Ludovic S. Mure; Satchidananda Panda; Anne Hanneken; Frans Vinberg
• Keywords: Visual phototransduction; Eye Enucleation; Human eye

Abstract The retina, a highly metabolic tissue in the central nervous system, consumes most oxygen and energy stores body by mass/volume. Consequently, it is not surprising that retinal ischemia leads to rapid loss of light responses electrical transmission. In this study, we show despite swift decline after circulatory death (decay time constant τ = ∼1-2 min), were able restore mouse rod cone photoreceptor signals from enucleated eyes up 3 h postmortem with significantly better recovery versus responses. We also demonstrate both phototransduction are more resistant enucleation delay than synaptic transmission second order neurons (bipolar cells). Encouraged these analyses lack previously successful recordings human foveal/macular photoreceptors, attempted macula using donor harvested 0.5 – 5 hours postmortem. Here macular photoresponses samples obtained Comparing ‘freshly’ non-human primate reoxygenated at different times death, exponential decay response amplitudes has 74 min. find cause age useful parameters for predicting tissue. Moreover, present evidence hypoxia secondary acidosis, two modifiable factors, primary contributors signaling death. Finally, rather acidosis major irreversible amplitudes. criteria methodology have established here reviving eye will serve as new starting point studying neurophysiology disease retina.