From Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Kyoto University to Institute of Laboratory Animals (Kyo) in 1998.
Strain characteristics
Carries gene for retinal dystrophy, which causes over-production of rhodopsin and progressive loss of photoreceptor cells beginning in the third postnatal week. Cataracts develop in 24% of rats and there is a 4% incidence of microphthalmia.
Breeding Conditions
Good breeding performance. Sib mating.
Genotyping
References
Vollrath D, Feng W, Duncan JL, Yasumura D, D'Cruz PM, Chappelow A, Matthes MT, Kay MA, LaVail MM. Links
Correction of the retinal dystrophy phenotype of the RCS rat by viral gene transfer of Mertk.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Oct 23;98(22):12584-9.
Gal A, Li Y, Thompson DA, Weir J, Orth U, Jacobson SG, Apfelstedt-Sylla E, Vollrath D. Links
Mutations in MERTK, the human orthologue of the RCS rat retinal dystrophy gene, cause retinitis pigmentosa.
Nat Genet. 2000 Nov;26(3):270-1.
D'Cruz PM, Yasumura D, Weir J, Matthes MT, Abderrahim H, LaVail MM, Vollrath D. Links
Mutation of the receptor tyrosine kinase gene Mertk in the retinal dystrophic RCS rat.
Hum Mol Genet. 2000 Mar 1;9(4):645-51.