Oxygen Induced Retinopathy: The Kitten Model Re–examined

Abstract

We have studied the kitten model of oxy en induced retinopathy by the technique of corrosion vascular casting/scanning electron microscopy ?he predominant morphologmcal features of the kitten model are preretinal and intraretinal neovascularization with a minor component of arterievenous shunting This is contrasted with the actwe phase of the blinding disease in the human neonate which is characterised predominantly by so called mesenchymal arterio venous shunting' A failure to appreciate fundamental differences in the nature of oxygen induced retinopathy between the human infant and its kitten model we believe has led to erroneous concluslons about pathogenesis in the human neonate Key words Retrolental fibroplasta human kitten model corrosion vascular casting, scanning electron microscopy neovascularization arterio venous shunting

Vascular endothelial growth factor in eye disease

“…The pattern of vasoproliferation in the kitten retina is distinctly different from that of the human. Like the mouse and rat models, retinal detachment rarely occurs in the kitten retina (Gole et al, 1982). In contrast to the kitten, the beagle puppy retina is more vascularized at birth, and the rate of vascularization is faster.…”

Oxygen-induced retinopathy in the newborn rat: a scoring system for the evaluation of retinal vascular changes

“…Vaso-oblitcration of the capillary nctwork (1 point) is cvidcnt as far as Zone 3 (multiplication factor of 3 ) in all four quadrants. Both idependent observers gave final scores of 12 to this retina.…”

“…The retina is also, ideally, divided into four quadrants by two perpendicular lines intersecting at the optic disk. 3. On the basis of the steroomicrnscopic examination, each quadrant is assigned one of the following points: O to indicatc thc absencc of vascular …”

“…Many animal models have been used in the experimental study of oxygeninduced retinopathy (OIR); them most common have been newborn kittens [1][2][3][4], beagle pups [5,6] and newborn mice [7][8][9]. The newborn rat has also been utilized [10,11] and is, in fact, the model we have used in our studies of OIR [12][13][14].…”

Oxygen-induced retinopathy in the rat model

“…However, finding an animal in which retinal vascularization resembles that of man has proved to be difficult [2]. Up until a short time ago, the majority of experiments were being conducted on full-term kittens [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] in which the degree of retinal maturation at birth is similar to that of a human fetus of 28 weeks [5] or on newborn puppies [4,10] which also have extremely immature retinas at the time of birth. Full-term puppies and kittens have always been utilized for these studies, but their retinas and retinal vessels are still extremely immature at this point; maturity occurs within two to three weeks after birth.…”