NEURITE OUTGROWTH FROM EXPLANTED XENOPUS RETINA - EFFECT OF PRIOR OPTIC-NERVE SECTION

Experimental conditions are described for the in vitro study of explanted eyes from embryos of X. laevis and of retinas from older larvae. When eyes are explanted from embryos of stages 25-34, a rapid outgrowth of fibroblast-like and pigment cells is observed, upon which a neuritic outgrowth is eventually superimposed. Outgrowth from the retina of later stage tadpoles (50-54) is not seen until about 1 wk following explantation and resembles and mixed cell outgrowth observed in whole eye explants from early stage embryos. If, however, the optic nerve of an older tadpole is cut 7 days prior to explanation, a purely neuritic outgrowth is seen from previously denervated retina within 1-3 days.