Thanks to Rosanna Calderon, Dominic Shayler, and Rosa Sierra for technical advice. This study was supported in part by an unrestricted grant to the Department of Ophthalmology at the USC Keck School of Medicine from Research to Prevent Blindness (AN), NIH K08EY030924 (AN), the Las Madrinas Endowment in Experimental Therapeutics for Ophthalmology (AN), a Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award (AN), Knights Templar Eye Foundation Endowment (AN), and the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation (AN, KG).

All procedures were carried out in compliance with and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Southern California. Fourteen (n = 14) Dutch-belted rabbits between 4 and 6 months of age were used in the development of this protocol. Both male and female animals were used. All animals weighed between 2.0&#160;and 2.5 kg. All animals were singly housed. A list of recommended materials and equipment can be found in the Table of Materials.
<p class="jove_ti...

Rabbit Eye Dissection and Cryosectioning for Immunohistochemistry Studies

<ol>
	<li>Peiffer, R. L., Pohm-Thorsen, L., Corcoran, K., Manning, P. J., Ringler, D. H., Newcomer, C. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chapter+19-Models+in+ophthalmology+and+vision+research.">Chapter 19-Models in ophthalmology and vision research.</a> American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, The Biology of the Laboratory Rabbit. , 409-433 (1994).</li><li>Davis, F. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+anatomy+and+histology+of+the+eye+and+orbit+of+the+rabbit.">The anatomy and histology of the eye and orbit of the rabbit.</a> Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 27, 400.2-441 (1929).</li><li>Zernii, E. Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rabbit+models+of+ocular+diseases:+New+relevance+for+classical+approaches.">Rabbit models of ocular diseases: New relevance for classical approaches.</a> CNS &amp; Neurological Disorders Drug Targets. 15 (3), 267-291 (2016).</li><li>Coons, A. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Labelled+antigens+and+antibodies.">Labelled antigens and antibodies.</a> Annu Rev Microbiol. 8, 333-352 (1954).</li><li>Coons, A. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fluorescent+antibodies+as+histochemical+tools.">Fluorescent antibodies as histochemical tools.</a> Fed Proc. 10 (2), 558-559 (1951).</li><li>Coons, A. H., Kaplan, M. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Localization+of+antigen+in+tissue+cells;+improvements+in+a+method+for+the+detection+of+antigen+by+means+of+fluorescent+antibody.">Localization of antigen in tissue cells; improvements in a method for the detection of antigen by means of fluorescent antibody.</a> J Exp Med. 91 (1), 1-13 (1950).</li><li>Pang, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Step-by-step+preparation+of+mouse+eye+sections+for+routine+histology,+immunofluorescence,+and+RNA+in+situ+hybridization+multiplexing.">Step-by-step preparation of mouse eye sections for routine histology, immunofluorescence, and RNA in situ hybridization multiplexing.</a> STAR Protoc. 2 (4), 100879 (2021).</li><li>Sorden, S. D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spontaneous+background+and+procedure-related+microscopic+findings+and+common+artifacts+in+ocular+tissues+of+laboratory+animals+in+ocular+studies.">Spontaneous background and procedure-related microscopic findings and common artifacts in ocular tissues of laboratory animals in ocular studies.</a> Toxicol Pathol. 49 (3), 569-580 (2021).</li><li>Margo, C. E., Lee, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fixation+of+whole+eyes:+the+role+of+fixative+osmolarity+in+the+production+of+tissue+artifact.">Fixation of whole eyes: the role of fixative osmolarity in the production of tissue artifact.</a> Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 233 (6), 366-370 (1995).</li><li>Chatterjee, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Artefacts+in+histopathology.">Artefacts in histopathology.</a> J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 18 (Suppl 1), S111-S116 (2014).</li><li>Mitchell, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enucleation+in+companion+animals.">Enucleation in companion animals.</a> Ir Vet J. 61 (2), 108-114 (2008).</li><li>Kastan, N. 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Y., Cringle, S. J., Su, E., Yu, P. K., Humayun, M. S., Dorin, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Laser-induced+changes+in+intraretinal+oxygen+distribution+in+pigmented+rabbits.">Laser-induced changes in intraretinal oxygen distribution in pigmented rabbits.</a> Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 46 (3), 988-999 (2005).</li><li>Faude, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Facilitation+of+artificial+retinal+detachment+for+macular+translocation+surgery+tested+in+rabbit.">Facilitation of artificial retinal detachment for macular translocation surgery tested in rabbit.</a> Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 42 (6), 1328-1337 (2001).</li></ol>

Prior to implementing the above protocol, we consistently faced difficulties with the tissue processing of rabbit eyes for IHC. We had adapted several protocols from the eyes of smaller animals such as mice but found these to lead to inadequate fixation and difficulty with tissue sectioning. There are several important considerations that allow for consistent, high-quality sections of the rabbit retina.
One consideration is the large size of the rabbit globe in comparison to other commonly use...

The retina is composed of several layers of specialized cells within the eye that together work to convert light into neural signals. Because the retina plays a critical role in vision, understanding its structure and function can provide valuable insights into some of the most common causes of vision loss such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, among others.
Rabbits serve as a convenient animal model in retinal research as they offer several advantages compared to other models. Rabbit eyes are relatively similar in anatomy to human eyes1,2. For example, rabbits have an area of increased photoreceptor density, known as the horizontal visual streak, that is analogous to the fovea in humans. Other commonly used animal models, such as rodents, do not have an anatomic equivalent. In addition, compared to rodents, the retinal vasculature in rabbits is fairly similar to that in humans. Rabbit eyes are relatively large as well. This makes them particularly suitable for studies that involve drug administration or surgical intervention within the vitreous or retina that may otherwise be difficult or impossible in a smaller eye3.
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a widely used technique to study the localization of antigens within a tissue and has broad applications in retinal research4,5,6. Because the retina is a delicate structure, obtaining useful results via IHC requires careful tissue processing. Retinal detachment and other tissue artifacts such as retinal breaks or folds commonly occur during processing and may interfere with the interpretation of results. Successful processing depends on a variety of factors, including tissue manipulation, type and duration of fixation, type of embedding media, and sectioning techniques7,8,9,10. Despite the advantages of using rabbits as an animal model in retinal research, very few protocols describing successful tissue processing of the rabbit retina exist. This paper describes a reliable method for obtaining high-quality retinal sections from whole rabbit eyes for use in IHC.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>100 mm culture dish</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>353025</td>
			<td>Used for dissection (steps 1.3, 3, and 5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL tube</td>
			<td>Genesee Scientific</td>
			<td>28-106</td>
			<td>For fixation and cryoprotection (step 1)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cryostat</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>CM1850</td>
			<td>For cryosectioning (step 7)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved scissors</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>91500-09</td>
			<td>Used for dissection (steps 1.3, 3, and 5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>D3571</td>
			<td>Diluted 1:1,000 in blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissection microscope</td>
			<td>Zeiss</td>
			<td>Stemi 2000-C</td>
			<td>Used for dissection (steps 1.3, 3, and 5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti-Goat 488</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-11055</td>
			<td>Diluted 1:1,000 in blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti-Mouse 555</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-31570</td>
			<td>Diluted 1:1,000 in blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forceps</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>91150-20</td>
			<td>Used for dissection (steps 1.3, 3, and 5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass Slide Cover</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>48404-453</td>
			<td>For cryosectioning (step 7)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat anti-SOX2</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>AF2018</td>
			<td>Diluted 1:100 in blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>High-profile disposable cryostat blades</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems Inc.</td>
			<td>14035838926</td>
			<td>For cryosectioning (step 7)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kimwipe</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>06-666-A</td>
			<td>Used to wipe away excess PBS or OCT (steps 3 and 6)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse anti-RPE65</td>
			<td>Novus Bio</td>
			<td>NB100-355SS</td>
			<td>Diluted 1:100 in blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>OmniPur Sucrose</td>
			<td>Millipore</td>
			<td>167117</td>
			<td>Used for cryoprotectant (step 1.2)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraformaldehyde 20% solution</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>15713</td>
			<td>Used as tissue fixative (diluted to 4% in step 1.1)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Peel-A-Away Disposable Embedding Mold (22x22x20 mm Deep)</td>
			<td>Polysciences, Inc.</td>
			<td>18646A</td>
			<td>Used as embedding mold (step 6)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate buffered saline, 1x</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>21-030-CV</td>
			<td>Used in preparation of fixative (step 1.1) and cryoprotectant (step 1.2)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scalpel blade no. 15</td>
			<td>Feather</td>
			<td>08-916-5D</td>
			<td>Used for dissection (steps 1.3, 3, and 5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Superfrost Plus Microscope Slides</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12-550-15</td>
			<td>For cryosectioning (step 7)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue-Tek O.C.T. Compound</td>
			<td>Sakura</td>
			<td>4583</td>
			<td>Used as embedding media (step 6)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

obtaining high-quality cryosections of whole rabbit eye 

This protocol describes how to obtain high-quality retinal cryosections in larger animals, such as rabbits. After enucleation, the eye is briefly immersed in the fixative. Then, the cornea and iris are removed and the eye is left overnight for additional fixation at 4 &#176;C. Following fixation, the lens is removed. The eye is then placed in a cryomold and filled with an embedding medium. By removing the lens, the embedding medium has better access to the vitreous and leads to better retinal stability. Importantly, the eye should be incubated in embedding medium overnight to allow complete infiltration throughout the vitreous. Following overnight incubation, the eye is frozen on dry ice and sectioned. Whole retinal sections may be obtained for use in immunohistochemistry. Standard staining protocols may be utilized to study the localization of antigens within the retinal tissue. Adherence to this protocol results in high-quality retinal cryosections that may be used in any experiment utilizing immunohistochemistry.

Author Spotlight: Optimizing Retinal Tissue Processing for Immunohistochemistry in Rabbit Models

Obtaining High-Quality Cryosections of Whole Rabbit Eye 

Our research focuses on novel approaches to regenerating the retinal pigment epithelium. Dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium is thought to play a central role in the pathophysiology of many eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, so regenerating this layer of cells is attractive from a therapeutic standpoint. Visualizing the structural anatomy of the retina via immunohistochemistry has wide applications in retinal research.In our laboratory, we found obtaining useful results from rabbit eyes, difficult due to tissue artifacts like retinal attachments and retinal folds. Despite these challenges, there are very few protocols existing that describe successful tissue processing of rabbit retina. This protocol makes several important modifications to standard tissue processing techniques that result in excellent tissue sections of the rabbit retina.This study may allow researchers to obtain better results from their research that involves the use of immunohistochemistry in rabbit models.

After tissue processing, a standard immunofluorescence protocol may be utilized to investigate any number of biological processes within the retina. Figure 3A-C illustrate representative fluorescence images of a retinal section obtained via confocal microscopy. The retinal section was immunostained according to a previously described protocol12.
The representative retinal sections shown in <strong class="xf...

Read this Scientific Article Protocol about Author Spotlight: Optimizing Retinal Tissue Processing for Immunohistochemistry in Rabbit Models at JoVE.com

This protocol describes a reliable method for obtaining high-quality cryosections of whole rabbit eyes. It details rabbit eye dissection, fixation, embedding, and sectioning procedures, which may be easily adapted for use in any study utilizing immunohistochemistry in larger eyes.

This protocol describes how to obtain high-quality retinal cryosections in larger animals, such as rabbits. After enucleation, the eye is briefly immersed ...

obtaining-high-quality-cryosections-of-whole-rabbit-eye