CASP12 and retinitis: Since a less severe retinal degeneration was observed in aged infected caspase-12−/− mice compared to age-matched infected wild-type controls, we hypothesized that caspase-12 might play a role in retinal degeneration resulting from MCMV ocular latency via similar pathways to those involved in retinal bystander cell death during MCMV retinitis.