What is a blind mouse called? - briefly
The animal is termed a blind mouse. In biomedical research, strains such as the rd1 mouse serve as standard models for studying blindness.
What is a blind mouse called? - in detail
The designation applied to a laboratory mouse that lacks functional vision is “visually impaired mouse” or, more specifically, a “blind mouse strain.” These animals carry mutations that disrupt photoreceptor development or function, resulting in complete or partial loss of sight.
Key genetic models include:
- rd1 (Pde6b) mouse – carries a mutation in the phosphodiesterase‑6β gene; photoreceptor degeneration begins shortly after birth, leading to total blindness within weeks.
- rd10 (Pde6b) mouse – a milder allele of the same gene; retinal degeneration progresses more slowly, providing a window for therapeutic intervention studies.
- Rho‑/‑ (rhodopsin knockout) mouse – lacks the rhodopsin protein essential for rod photoreceptor signaling, producing a non‑functional rod system while cones may remain partially active.
- Crx‑/‑ mouse – deficient in the cone‑rod homeobox transcription factor, resulting in absent photoreceptor outer segments and severe visual impairment.
- Nrl‑/‑ mouse – deletion of the neural retina leucine‑zipper gene converts rods into cone‑like cells, altering the visual response but effectively eliminating normal rod‑mediated vision.
These strains are widely used to investigate retinal degeneration, gene therapy, prosthetic devices, and neuroplasticity following sensory loss. Researchers refer to them collectively as “blind mouse models” and specify the underlying mutation when precise terminology is required.