A new immunodeficient pigmented retinal degenerate rat strain to study transplantation of human cells without immunosuppression.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to develop an immunodeficient rat model of retinal degeneration (RD nude rats) that will not reject transplanted human cells.

Methods: SD-Tg(S334ter)3Lav females homozygous for a mutated mouse rhodopsin transgene were mated with NTac:NIH-Whn (NIH nude) males homozygous for the Foxn1 (rnu) allele. Through selective breeding, a new stock, SD-Foxn1 Tg(S334ter)3Lav (RD nude) was generated such that all animals were homozygous for the Foxn1 (rnu) allele and either homo- or hemizygous for the S334ter transgene.