Validation of a Commercially Available Non-Woven Fabric Electrode for Mouse Electroretinography
Purpose: To evaluate the performance and usability of a commercially available nonwoven fabric electrode as a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative to standard corneal contact lens electrodes for recording murine electroretinography (ERG). Methods: Full-field ERGs were recorded in the same individual mice using both the commercially available non-woven fabric electrode and a conventional contact lens electrode in a paired design. Key parameters evaluated included (1) baseline noise stability, (2) dark-adapted intensity-response curves (0.01-100 cd{middle dot}s{middle dot}m-2), (3) light-adapted intensity-response curves (3-100 cd{middle dot}s{middle dot}m-2), (4) 20 and 30 Hz flicker responses, (5) extended recordings targeting slow c-wave kinetics under dark-adapted conditions, and (6) inter-eye consistency via bilateral simultaneous recordings. Results: Eliminating the need for viscous lubricants, the non-woven fabric electrode simplified corneal placement, alignment, and re-application. It yielded a- and b-wave amplitudes and peak times comparable to those obtained with standard contact lens electrodes. Notably, during prolonged recordings, the non-woven fabric electrode yielded significantly larger c-wave amplitudes while maintaining equivalent baseline noise stability. Bilateral simultaneous recordings demonstrated high inter-eye correlation and low measurement variability between contralateral eyes. Conclusions: The non-woven fabric electrode provides high-quality, reproducible ERG recordings comparable to, and for c-waves superior to, standard corneal contact lens electrodes. This accessible method facilitates standardized data acquisition and enhances inter-laboratory reproducibility in murine ERG. Translational Relevance: By reducing financial and technical barriers, this non-woven fabric electrode offers an alternative to specialized recording setups, improving experimental throughput and efficiency in ophthalmic research.