Expression of carnosine-like immunoreactivity during retinal development in the clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).
The development of neurons immunoreactive to carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) was studied in the retina of Xenopus laevis during the premetamorphic period. Carnosine-like immunoreactivity was detected in photoreceptors from stage 39/40 (according to Nieuwkoop and Faber [Normal Tables of Xenopus laevis (Daudin), Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1956]) and in bipolar cells and their processes in the inner plexiform layer from stage 44/45. At all the developmental stages studied, neuroepithelial cells at the ciliary margin were completely unstained, suggesting that carnosine is only present in postmitotic retinal neurons. This study demonstrates a correlation between the times of appearance of carnosine-like immunoreactivity during retinal development and the onset of visual function.
Pognetto
M S
MS
Dipartimento di Anatomia e Fisiologia Umana, Turin, Italy.
Panzanelli
P
P
Fasolo
A
A
Cantino
D
D
D000818:Animals; D002336:Carnosine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D002336:Carnosine