title: Postnatal changes in [3H]fucosyl glycoconjugates axonally transported into hamster optic nerve endings.
abstract: The subsynaptosomal distribution of [3H]fucosyl glycoproteins axonally transported into the optic nerve endings of neonatal and adult hamsters changed dramatically at eye-opening. In 12 day-old previsual hamsters, the highest concentration of incorporated fucose was in the axoplasmic reticulum/synaptic vesicle fraction (51%), with only 6% in the dense synaptic membrane fraction. By the end of the eye-opening period four days later proportional labeling of the dense synaptic membrane fraction had increased four-fold to 23% of total sub-synaptosomal radioactivity. Labeling of the synaptic membrane doubled again in adults (41%). Total synaptosomal radioactivity was greatest in 16 day-olds. These results imply that utilization o [3H]fucose by the retinal ganglion cells, as well as composition of the synaptic membrane, change in association with the onset of functional visual activity.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D006224:Cricetinae; D005643:Fucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D005643:Fucose