Temporal Sequence of Post-Mortem Autolysis in the Mouse Retina

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dc.contributor.authorFinnie, J.
dc.contributor.authorManavis, J.
dc.contributor.authorChidlow, G.
dc.contributor.authorCasson, R.
dc.contributor.authorBlumbergs, P.
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractIn order to better differentiate ante-mortem lesions from post-mortem retinal autolysis, the temporal sequence of post-mortem changes was studied in a well-controlled mouse model. Mice were of the same strain, age and sex, and were held at a constant ambient temperature. Eyes were collected at various times up to 72 h after death and immersion-fixed in either Davidson’s fixative or 10% neutral buffered formalin, paraffinembedded and sections cut and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The most prominent, and early, autolytic change was retinal detachment, and subsequent folding, which occurred immediately after death in formalinfixed eyes, but not until 2 h post mortem with Davidson’s fixative. Retinal separation was complete at 16 h, or almost complete by 2 h, in formalin, but in Davidson’s fixative, was only partial and segmental, the latter not becoming total until much later. Retinal detachment was attended by progressively more severe disruption and dissolution of photoreceptors and, particularly in Davidson’s-fixed retinas, the rod outer segment often showed marked homogenization from 30 min to 4 h after death. The other major early change was nuclear pyknosis in the inner nuclear layer. Ganglion cells initially had cytoplasmic swelling, followed by shrinkage and basophilia (at 4 h with formalin and 16 h with Davidson’s), with nuclear pyknosis becoming increasingly common over time. While the three retinal neuronal layers eventually became more attenuated and depleted of cells, the thickness of these layers was augmented by severe swelling. These findings show that the post-mortem interval at which histological interpretation of retinal changes becomes potentially compromised is dependent on the duration of this interval and the fixative used.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityJohn Finnie, Jim Manavis, Glyn Chidlow, Robert Casson, and Peter Blumbergs
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Comparative Pathology, 2021; 187:17-26
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jcpa.2021.06.006
dc.identifier.issn0021-9975
dc.identifier.issn1532-3129
dc.identifier.orcidFinnie, J. [0000-0003-2277-1693]
dc.identifier.orcidManavis, J. [0000-0001-7381-7781] [0000-0003-1268-561X]
dc.identifier.orcidChidlow, G. [0000-0001-7371-0239]
dc.identifier.orcidCasson, R. [0000-0003-2822-4076]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/146100
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.rights© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2021.06.006
dc.subjectDavidson’s fixative; mouse retina; post-mortem autolysis; temporal progression
dc.subject.meshRetina
dc.subject.meshAnimals
dc.subject.meshMice
dc.subject.meshPostmortem Changes
dc.subject.meshAutolysis
dc.subject.meshModels, Animal
dc.titleTemporal Sequence of Post-Mortem Autolysis in the Mouse Retina
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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