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Comprehensive characterization of the rat magnetic microbead model
Scientific publications

Comprehensive characterization of the rat magnetic microbead model

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, highlighting the urgent need for reliable preclinical models that capture both structural and functional disease aspects. Our recently published study by Kernius Mickevičius provides a longitudinal evaluation of the rat magnetic microbead model of ocular hypertension by combining multimodal monitoring tools including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), pattern electroretinography (pERG), optomotor testing, and morphological analysis.

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Welfare complications in the male BN/Crl and RjHan:SD rat streptozotocin-induced diabetes models
Scientific publications

Welfare complications in the male BN/Crl and RjHan:SD rat streptozotocin-induced diabetes models

Our latest publication by Anni Tenhunen and colleagues on the welfare outcomes of two widely used rat lines, Brown Norway (BN/Crl) and Sprague Dawley (RjHan:SD), in the STZ-induced diabetic retinopathy model. BN/Crl rats are often favored for ocular studies due to their pigmented eyes, however, our study raises important concerns about their routine use in diabetic models, given their increased risk of serious welfare issues.

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FELASA 2025 presentation: Assessing lidocaine-based analgesia for mouse ​ear notching: Insights into strain-specific reactions​
News Scientific publications

FELASA 2025 presentation: Assessing lidocaine-based analgesia for mouse ​ear notching: Insights into strain-specific reactions​

From the beginning of 2024, a new national law on animal protection in Finland (1165/2023 3 §) requires laboratory rodent ear notching to be performed only with "appropriate pain relief". However, the European Union directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (2010/63/EU) classifies ear notching as a routine identification method rather than a procedure, leaving no specific guidelines on suitable analgesia at the EU or the national level. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of a lidocaine-based cream as analgesia (EMLA cream 5%, lidocaine + prilocaine 25+25 mg/g, Aspen Pharmacare Australia) for mice undergoing ear notching.

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ARVO 2025 presentation: Combined administration of BDNF and CNTF provides superior neuroprotection as compared to BDNF alone in a mouse optic nerve crush model
News Scientific publications

ARVO 2025 presentation: Combined administration of BDNF and CNTF provides superior neuroprotection as compared to BDNF alone in a mouse optic nerve crush model

Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide, is characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and damage to the optic nerve. Neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), have been extensively studied for their potential to promote RGC survival and axonal regeneration. However, BDNF's efficacy is restricted by receptor desensitization, while CNTF alone often induces inflammation and gliosis, limiting its therapeutic potential. This study was aimed at evaluating if a combination of BDNF and CNTF offers synergistic effects, providing superior neuroprotection as compared to either factor alone.

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ARVO 2025 presentation: Phosphate-buffered saline administered intravitreally at P12 blocks neovascularization in the mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy model
News Scientific publications

ARVO 2025 presentation: Phosphate-buffered saline administered intravitreally at P12 blocks neovascularization in the mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy model

Intravitreally injected phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) is known to decrease neovascularization in the mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model, and it is commonly used as a vehicle control in preclinical studies evaluating therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of intravitreally (IVT) administered PBS on neovascularization and revascularization at various timepoints after OIR induction. Aflibercept (Eylea®) was used as a reference control.

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ARVO 2025 presentation: Thioredoxin system and HIF1a pathway activation by oxidative stress in human iPSC-RPE cells
Scientific publications

ARVO 2025 presentation: Thioredoxin system and HIF1a pathway activation by oxidative stress in human iPSC-RPE cells

In vitro: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells exhibit a high susceptibility to reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to their elevated metabolic activity. The accumulation of ROS is a critical factor contributing to the pathogenesis of both dry and wet forms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The thioredoxin (TRX) system represents one of the two primary thiol-dependent antioxidant defense mechanisms in mammalian cells. The objective of this study was to investigate the concentration-dependent activation and response of the TRX system to ROS induced by RPE specific exogenous oxidative agent, sodium iodate (NaIO3).

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