Preparation of animal model of high oxygen inducing retinal neovascularizaton

Objective To develop proliferative neovascularizat ion in the mouse for researching therapeutic intervention of retinal neovascularization in the retinopathy. Methods A total of 56 one week old neonatal C57BL/6J mice were included in this study.Twenty eight ofthem were randomly selected to be exposed to 75%±2% oxygen environment and the temperature was controlled at 23℃±2℃. These mice were back to natural air environment after 5 days. The other 28 mice, designed as control group, were fed only in natural air environment. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)expression was observed at 12, 14, 17, 21, 22 and 25 days after birth in both exposed group and control group by means of retina flat mounting and VEGF immunohistochemical staining. The retina of each 17 day old mouse was dissected, HE stained and immunohistochemically stained.Results The avascular area of retinal and the number of nuclei extending from retinal area into vitreous of 17 day old mice in exposed group were significantly higher than those of the control group. VEGF expression of endothelium continuously increased since the 14th day after birth and showed a peak at the 17th day, then gradually decreased until the end of observation.Conclusion This mouse model of oxygen induced retinal neovascularization should be useful for the study of retinal neovascularization.