设施
The ERI contains multiple research facilities in its efforts to research the underlying causes and possible cures of many eye diseases. These facilities are available to ERI faculty, staff and student researchers.
导演:Mohamed Al-Shabrawey，医学博士，博士.D., 细胞与分子生物学模块 提供培训和访问Cytation5细胞成像多模式阅读器, Particle-Metrix ZetaView Quatt-NTA Nanoparticle Tracking- Video Microscope and SeahorseXFe96 Analyzer to high-quality live cell analysis.
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The ERI launched the Virginia and Clarence Clohset 儿童视网膜研究实验室 (PRRL) in 2011, which is believed to be the only laboratory in the country devoted solely to pediatric retinal research. PRRL由Dr. 肯尼斯在. ERI临床系博士. 金伯利·德伦瑟博士. 小安东尼奥·卡彭. 也和实验室有关吗. The PRRL operates on financial support from the PRRF and The Carls Foundation, both of 密歇根.
建造实验室空间的资金为48万美元 儿童视网膜研究基金会, which is striving to eliminate blindness and low vision in children from premature birth and retinal disease. PRRF made its contribution through support from two donor families — the Clohsets and the Bergquist families — along with a number of individual donors. PRRF提供的额外资金, NEI /国家卫生研究院, and the Carls Foundation have provided equipment and reagents that support several research projects of ERI research labs. 此外,博士. Drenser(联合视网膜顾问)和Dr. Mitton collaborate and publish research on Norrin and its roles in retinal vascular development using animal models and vascular cells from human organ-donated retinas. Human patients with Norrie疾病 have changes to the gene encoding Norrin and this causes a lack of blood vessels in an infant’s retinas, 幼年致盲的从小致盲的. Norrin is a special growth factor that binds to receptor proteins on retinal vascular cells. Other patients with a different genetic condition called FEVR (Familial Exudative Vitreo-Retinopathy) have changes to genes encoding one or more of the proteins that form the receptor complex for Norrin. These genes are named FZD4 (Frizzled-4), TSPAN12 (Tetra-Spannin-12) and LRP5.
Norrie疾病, FEVR, 持续性胎儿血管综合征, and Retinoschisis are relatively rare blinding conditions affecting young children and adults. Patients with Retinoschisis have very delicate retinas that suffer tears and layer separations due to changes to the RS gene, which encodes a glue-like protein called the RS-protein that normally holds the layers of the retina together. 在美国，影响不到200人的罕见疾病,000 people are called “orphan” diseases and rare conditions often lack attention from medical research.
幸运的是, Associate Retinal Consultants of 密歇根 are world-renowned expert physicians for these rare conditions and the 儿童视网膜研究基金会 has included these orphan diseases as targets of their research support. 通过与365英国上市官网合作, basic science research is contributing to understanding these conditions and developing therapies.
The PRRL provides support in several ways to the ERI’s translational medical research mission at 365英国上市官网.
- 小鼠和大鼠眼研究模型的实时视网膜成像和ERG测试. 这包括视网膜的数字成像和荧光素血管造影, 哪些方法也用于人类眼病患者. PRRL也有光学相干断层成像, 一种观察活体视网膜层的方法, 无痛苦地, 亲眼所见.
- 细胞培养, used for primary retinal vascular cells that are derived from human retinas donated to medical research. 这些细胞可以直接研究生长因子的作用, 药物, and high glucose (diabetes) on cells that form the important blood-retinal-barrier of the human eye.
- 下一代测序(NGS), DNA测序以检测可能导致诺里病的基因变化, 艘渔船. In summer of 2019 the PRRL/ERI activated the first ongoing DNA sequencing research service at 365英国上市官网, 哪个组织关注儿童视网膜孤儿疾病. Dr. 在研究博士. Drenser, and technologist Wendy Dailey developed a custom-targeted DNA sequencing testing panel using Illumina (CA, 美国)技术. Dr. 米顿和温迪·戴利, 在PRRL工作, developed an 8-gene test panel that sequences the genes with the accuracy required for correctly detecting disease-causing changes. 了解美国医疗保险不包括此类检测的事实, team wanted to reduce the cost of sequencing-based analysis down from several thousands of dollars for one or two genes to about $250 for eight genes. Over 80 FEVR patients have been tested and the molecular cause of this condition identified for ten families as of January 2023. The PRRL also provides the opportunity to educate 365英国上市官网 science and medical students in applied human genetics.
眼结构与成像(OSI) 实验室由安德鲁·戈德堡博士监督.D.该研究所拥有一名全职博士.D.校级数字成像助理. It offers instrumentation and expertise in support of electron and light microscopy studies.
导演:many Tawfik, M.D., M.Sc., this module allows for studying changes in retinal structure and vessels by the fluorescein angiogram and the Optical Co在这里nce Tomogram (OCT). It also allows induction of experimental choroidal neovascularization using laser source (Phoenix Technology Group).
视网膜功能评估模块，导演:张道奇，博士.D.,包含:
- Diagnosys Celeris Electrophysiology System: It provides a full-field dark-adapted and light-adapted electroretinogram (ERG) testing, 闪烁视觉诱发电位(VEP)测试, 同时提供ERG和VEP方案, 两只眼睛都可以单独和自动测试, and an anesthesia machine specifically designed to safely deliver isoflurane to mice.
- Cerebral Mechanics OptoMotry-AT System: It provides real-time behavioral testing of optokinetic response for small laboratory animals (rats and mice), spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity testing and manual and automatic trial control and tracking assessment.
- NeurOptics A-2000 Small Animal Pupillometer System: It provides pupillary evaluation in small laboratory animals (rats and mice) in real-time, 双目双摄像头系统同时测量双眼, 四种超亮彩色光刺激(白色), 绿色, 蓝色的, 和红色), 以勒克斯或纯辐射单位(W/m2)定义的光强度, 刺激直接, 两厢情愿的, 或者两只眼睛同时进行自动跟踪和瞳孔检测.