title: [Expression of immediate early gene c-fos in the lateral geniculate nucleus of rats with optic nerve injury].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the early neuronal response to optic nerve crush in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unilateral optic nerve crush injury was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats by using micro clips of 70 gram forces. The rats were sacrificed at time periods of 2 hours, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after crush. C-fos expression was studied with a polyclonal antibody by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Double immunolabelling of c-fos and calbindin D-28k was also studied by confocal laser scanning microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of c-fos was observed ipslaterally in the medial subdivision of ventral LGN and intermediate geniculate nucleus (IGN). The numbers of c-fos positive cells were visible at 2 h post injury and peaked at 1 d. Thereafter, the expression decreased at 3 d, 7 d and still a few was observed at 14 d. C-fos immunoreactivity was scarcely observed in the dorsal LGN and in the LGN of control rats. Expression of calbindin D-28k was mainly observed in the medial subdivision of ventral LGN and IGN. 75% approximately 83% c-fos positive cells were also calbindin D-28k immunopositive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression of c-fos was induced in calbindin D-28k positive relay neurons in the ipslaterally medial subdivision of ventral LGN and IGN. They may play some important roles during the pathologic process of acute optic nerve injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Xing-Huai
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000235:genetics*; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000235:genetics*; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos