title: Spatial and temporal patterns of proliferation and differentiation in the developing turtle eye.
abstract: Here we show for the first time different aspects of the pattern of neurogenesis in the developing turtle retina by using different morphological and molecular clues. We show the chronotopographical fashion of occurrence of three major aspects of retinal development: (1) morphogenesis of the optic primordia and emergence of the different retinal layers, (2) the temporal progression of neurogenesis by the cessation of proliferative activity, and (3) the apparition and cellular localization of different antigens and neuroactive substances. Retinal cells were generated in a conserved temporal order with ganglion cells born first, followed by amacrine, photoreceptor, horizontal and bipolar/Müller cells. While eventually expressed in many types of retinal neurons, Islet1 was permanently expressed in differentiating and mature ganglion cells. Calbindin-immunoreactive elements were found in the ganglion cell layer and the inner nuclear layer. Interestingly, at later stages the amount of expressing cells in these layers was reduced dramatically. On the contrary, the number of calbindin-immunoreactive photoreceptors increased as development proceeded. In addition, calretinin expressing cells were prominent in the horizontal cell bodies, and their processes extending into the outer plexiform layer were also strongly labeled. Finally, the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was detected in developing and matured horizontal and amacrine cells. All these maturational features began in the dorso-central area, in a region slightly displaced towards the temporal retina.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Francisco-Morcillo
authors.forename: Matías
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidalgo-Sánchez
authors.forename: Gervasio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martín-Partido
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005123:Eye / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development; D016707:Tissue Fixation; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014426:Turtles / Q000254:growth & development*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C063843:insulin gene enhancer binding protein Isl-1; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine