RESEARCH Open Access Expression pattern of Ccr2 and Cx3cr1 in inherited retinal degeneration

Background: Though accumulating evidence suggests that microglia, resident macrophages in the retina, and bone marrow-derived macrophages can cause retinal inflammation which accelerates photoreceptor cell death, the details of how these cells are activated during retinal degeneration (RD) remain uncertain. Therefore, it is important to clarify which cells play a dominant role in fueling retinal inflammation. However, distinguishing between microglia and macrophages is difficult using conventional techniques such as cell markers (e.g., Iba-1). Recently, two mouse models for visualizing chemokine receptors were established, Cx3cr1GFP/GFP and Ccr2RFP/RFP mice. As Cx3cr1 is expressed in microglia and Ccr2 is reportedly expressed in activated macrophages, these mice have the potential to distinguish microglia and macrophages, yielding novel information about the activation of these inflammatory cells and their individual roles in retinal inflammation. Methods: In this study, c-mer proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (Mertk)−/ − mice, which show photoreceptor cell death due to defective retinal pigment epithelium phagocytosis, were employed as an animal model of RD. Mertk −/−Cx3cr1GFP/+Ccr2RFP/+ mice were established by breeding Mertk−/−, Cx3cr1GFP/GFP, and Ccr2RFP/RFP mice. The retinal morphology and pattern of inflammatory cell activation and invasion of Mertk−/−Cx3cr1GFP/+Ccr2RFP/+ mice were evaluated using retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) flat mounts, retinal sections, and flow cytometry