The goal of the session on the visual system, as described by Dr. R. Lund in his introductory remarks, was to integrate the biology of the visual system with transplantation studies. The presentations were selected as examples of different approaches to transplantation which would bring together problems from both spheres. Dr. G. Bray, speaking in place of Dr. A. Aguayo on responses of injured ...

In an effort to understand the regulation of the transition of a mature neuron to the growth, or regenerating, state we have analyzed the composition of the axonally transported proteins in the retinal ganglion cells of the toad Bufo marinus after inducing axon regeneration by crushing the optic nerve. At increasing intervals after axotomy, we labeled the retinal ganglion cells with [35S]methio...

PURPOSE To devise methods for unequivocal identification of activated retinal microglia in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) and to investigate their role in the development of EAU. METHODS A group of Lewis rats underwent optic nerve axotomy with the application of N-4-(4-didecylaminostyryl)-N methylpyridinium iodide (4Di-10ASP) at the axotomy site. On days 3, 14, and 38 after axoto...

To monitor the cascade of events initiated by injury of adult neurons, and to explore whether and how neighboring microglial cells contribute to the degradation of lesioned neurons, axotomy-induced ganglion cell degeneration was investigated in adult rats. Suppression of macrophage and microglia activity during the weeks following transection of the optic nerve was performed with the immunoglob...

Primary sensory neurons with myelinated axons were examined in vitro in excised whole lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) taken from adult rats up to 9 days after tight ligation and transection of the L(5) spinal nerve (Chung model of neuropathic pain). Properties of subthreshold membrane potential oscillations, and of repetitive spike discharge, were examined. About 5% of the DRG neurons sampled...

our previous studies have shown that median and ulnar nerve lesion induced calbindin (cb) immunoreactivity in some injured motoneurons in developing rats. motoneuron death induced by sciatic nerve transection in neonatal rats has been related to induction of neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nnos). the present study investigated whether expression of cb and nicotinomid adenin dinucleot...

To explore a role for chemorepulsive axon guidance mechanisms in the regeneration of primary olfactory axons, we examined the expression of the chemorepellent semaphorin III (sema III), its receptor neuropilin-1, and collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2) during regeneration of the olfactory system. In the intact olfactory system, neuropilin-1 and CRMP-2 mRNA expression define a distinc...