OLM integrity, as assessed by adherens junction adaptor protein staining, is largely maintained during retinal degeneration.

<p><b>A</b> i-vi). In wild-type retinae, Zo-1 staining appeared as a continuous line, indicating that the OLM is intact, and remained so at all ages examined. <b>B</b>. i-vi) In <i>Crb1</i>^{<i>rd8/rd8</i>} animals, Zo-1 staining was noticeably fragmented at all time points examined, indicating significant OLM disruption. <b>C</b>. i-vi) In <i>Prph2</i>^{<i>+/Δ307</i>} animals model, the OLM was disrupted as indicated by fragmented Zo-1 staining. <b>D</b>. (i-vii) In <i>Rho</i>^-/- mice, no major changes within the OLM were observed at early and mid-stage of degeneration, but some fragmentation developed by late stage of degeneration. <b>E</b>. (i-vi) In <i>Pde6b</i>^{<i>rd1/rd1</i>} mice, staining for Zo-1 presented as a strong and continuous line at the earliest time point examined, P10, but became increasingly uneven with degeneration. Cryosections were immunostained for Zo-1 (red) and counterstained with nuclei marker Hoechst 33342 (blue). Scale bar, 25 μm. INL, inner nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OLM, outer limiting membrane.