title: Effects of dark-rearing on the retinal dopaminergic system in the neonatal and postnatal guinea pig.
abstract: To appraise the extent of light responsivity of the retinal dopaminergic system in the early postnatal period, dopamine content (DA) of retinas of cycling-light-reared and dark-reared guinea pigs was determined. DA storage postnatally was suppressed in dark-reared animals. Their retinas responded to a brief light stimulus by rapidly increasing DOPA synthesis and DA utilization, but not to the extent of the response of cycling-light-reared animals. Dopaminergic retinal neurones depend on light stimulus for the complete development of some of their neurochemical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Calgary, Alta., Canada.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Spira
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parkinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism; D003623:Dark Adaptation / Q000502:physiology*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008027:Light; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine