Studies on hereditary retinal degeneration. The rd gene in the mouse.

Stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acids can be detected regularly in the eyes and retinae of mice. During the period of maturation of the outer segments of the rod, the amount of each fatty acid increases, the most striking feature of which is the accumulation of docosahexaenoic acid in the retina, which might reflect the growth of rod outer segments. In rd/rd mice, fatty acid synthesis is reduced and the change characteristic of docosahexaenoic acid is absent. Analysis of the structure of outer segment disc membranes by the freeze fracturing technique, however, shows that the structure of the membrane is probably not affected by the rd gene.