Retinal changes in the selenium deficient rat

Abstract

The retina of rats with selenium deficiency was studied by light and electron microscopy. Nuclei of the inner nuclear layer were decreased in number after 12 months following selenium deficient diet feeding, although photoreceptor nuclei were kept normal in number. Nuclei of amacrine and horizontal cells were prominently decreased. More than 1.5 years after feeding selenium deficient diet, the retina showed prominent decrease of photoreceptor cells, but no increase of lipofuscin granules in the retinal pigment epithelium. In conclusion, selenium deficiency induces some kind of nerve damage.