title: Effects of prenatal ionizing irradiation on the development of the ganglion cell layer of the mouse retina.
abstract: Prenatal exposure to ionizing irradiation has been shown to be an effective method to eliminate selectively certain neuronal population. This investigation studied the effects on the ganglion cell layer of the retinae of adult mice exposed to a gamma source (total dose=3 Gy) at 16 days gestation. There was a significant reduction in the total number of neurons (displaced amacrine+ganglion cells) in the ganglion cell layer (33%) that was mainly caused by a pronounced loss (59%) of displaced amacrine cells. The diameters of the surviving retinal ganglion cells were consistently larger than those of the controls. Prenatal irradiation is the first experimental approach that partially eliminates displaced amacrine cells. It is suggested that the morphogenesis of retinal ganglion cells may be affected by displaced amacrine cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurofisologia e Avaliação Neurocomportamental, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenue 28 de Setembro 87 Fundos 5 degrees andar, Vila Isabel, R.J. CEP 20551-030, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. schmidt@uerj.br
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Vitral
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Linden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000528:radiation effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*