We have observed a high naturally occuring incidence of eye lesions
(corneal dystrophy) in Sprague Dawley rats, which can progress to the
appearance of crystal formation in the eye as the animal ages. This
condition can be exacerbated by a variety of agents including those
which have effects on cholesterol and calcium homeostasis. A similar
corneal lesion has been described in the Fischer 344 strain of rat. The
spontaneous occurence of this lesion during the aging process can make
it difficult to interpret toxicity results.
We are seeking information on the Wistar rat to determine if these
strain has a lower incidence of this spontaneously occuring lesion. We
have not been able to obtain information from breeding facilities
because Wistar is not commonly used in the U.S.
Please contact us if you know of anyone who may be able to provide
information on the Wistar rat. Also, let us know if there are any other
News Groups for which this query would be applicable.
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact us by email or by telephone as follows:
Greg Wagner (spirited at aimnet.com)
Elena Serbinova (derm at netcom.com)
Phone 415/358-0100; Fax 415/358-0101
