| Retinal degenerative diseases are among the major causes of vision loss. The mechanisms underlying these diseases have still to be elucidated. To this end, the rat light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) model for human retinal degenerative disease has been developed. This model allows monitoring of the progression of retinal degeneration. By comparing the molecular phenotype of a healthy retina with that of a retina at an early stage of degeneration, the Commitment Phase of LIRD, it is possible to correlate the state of degeneration with changes in the molecular environment. During the Commitment Phase of LIRD intracellular and extracellular events are predicted to dictate whether individual cells will commit to apoptosis. The comparison of Commitment Phase retinae with healthy, control retinae through differential cross-screening lead to the identification of 54 differentially expressed transcripts. These may represent factors which are a consequence or a cause of the retinal degeneration. |
