title: Visual cortex development in the ferret. I. Genesis and migration of visual cortical neurons.
abstract: The production of ferret visual cortical neurons was studied using 3H-thymidine autoradiography. The genesis of cortical neurons begins on or slightly before embryonic day 20 (E20) of the 41 d gestational period, continues postnatally until 2 weeks after birth (P14), and follows an inside-out radial gradient with neurons for the deeper cortical layers being generated before those for the superficial layers. Layer I neurons are generated both early (E20-E30) and late (P1-P14) in the period of cortical neurogenesis and, thus, provide at least a partial exception to the inside-out gradient of cortical neurogenesis. Tangential gradients of cortical neurogenesis extend across areas 17 and 18 in both the anterior-to-posterior and lateral-to-medial directions. Neither of these gradients bears a meaningful relationship to the cortical representation of the visual field. Most infragranular and granular layer neurons are generated prenatally, while most supragranular layer neurons are produced postnatally. Neurons destined for a given layer are produced over a period of several days, and the neurons generated on any given day contribute to the formation of 2 or more cortical layers. In general, prenatally generated neurons complete their migration in 1 week or less, while most postnatally generated neurons require approximately 2 weeks to complete their migration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Optics, School of Optometry, Medical Center, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Peduzzi
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hickey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001345:Autoradiography; D002335:Carnivora / Q000254:growth & development*; D002455:Cell Division; D002465:Cell Movement; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005289:Ferrets / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013936:Thymidine; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D013936:Thymidine