Recommendations for a toxicological screening ERG procedure in laboratory animals.

Abstract

Electroretinography, using laboratory animals, is a commonly used technique for determining the retinal toxicity of chemical agents. In this paper, guidelines for performing this test are provided. The physiologic basis for visual testing is presented with attention to inter-species differences. Technical aspects of animal recordings are reviewed, including animal preparation, stimulation, signal conditioning, recording and data analysis. Finally, suggested protocols for recording in diurnal and nocturnal species are presented.