Measuring Uptake of the Glucose Analog, 6-(N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-Oxa-1,3-Diazol-4-yl)Amino)-6-Deoxyglucose, in Intact Murine Neural Retina

The retina is a highly metabolic tissue with multiple cell types requiring glucose and its derivatives to produce energy in the form of ATP. Retinal cells, including endothelial cells, neurons, photoreceptors, and glial cells, express glucose transporters (GLUTs; e.g., GLUT1-4) to enable the uptake of glucose for energy production. GLUT1 is the most abundantly expressed glucose transporter in the retina. This protocol enables researchers to measure the uptake of glucose in the neural murine retina in ex vivo conditions using the fluorescent glucose analog 6-(N-(7-Nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-6-Deoxyglucose (6-NBDG). After retinal dissection, total retinal 6-NBDG levels can be easily determined via fluorescence endpoint measurement using a plate reader. For consistency, we recommend normalizing results to total protein levels. Although 6-NBDG is highly specific for GLUT1, uptake of this analog is detected in the presence of GLUT1 inhibitor BAY-876. As such, this assay provides a relatively quick and inexpensive method to measure glucose uptake ex vivo in whole mouse neural retina, which is partially mediated by GLUT1.