Module Use and Impact The Functional Assessment Module is a resource and service Module providing access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise for the assessment of ocular structure and function in living rodents. Prior to the establishment of this Module, most investigators who wished to evaluate retinal structure or function in small animals had very limited options and relied on terminal experiments performed in individual laboratories. The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences had a small collection of shared instruments available for use and investigators had access to ERG analysis via collaboration with Dr. Heckenlively or Dr. Khan when their time allowed. Within the past several months, the Functional Assessment Module has greatly increased the range of measurements possible through the purchase of the Micron III, SDOCT, pupillometer, and the optokinetic device. The current function of this Module is to provide investigators and members of their group access to the use of this equipment. In the next funding cycle, staff will be added to the Module to provide training on the use of the equipment and assist investigators with retinal imaging (OCT and Micron III) and visual function tests (ERG, pupillometry, optokinetics). Module staff will 1) perform retinal imaging in anesthetized rodents using the Micron III to assess retinal permeability and provide images to investigators for quantitative analysis (support for image analysis is provided by the Morphology and Imaging Module) and to observe fluorescently labeled proteins or cells;2) perform retinal imaging and analysis by SDOCT to provide retinal microstructure details including retinal layer thickness;3) provide assistance with the measurement and analysis of pupillary responses to specific light stimuli to assess retinal function;4) assist with optokinetic analysis, the measurement of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity by recording the optokinetic reflex or tracking response to a rotating visual stimulus displayed on LCD panels;and 5) perform measurement and analysis of photopic and scotopic ERGs and photopigment regeneration kinetics.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 214 publications
