The temporal profile of retinal cell genesis in the marmoset monkey.

The New World marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) has a relatively short gestational period compared with other primates but possesses a retina at a similar stage of maturation by birth. Previous studies have highlighted that the complex fovea of the marmoset undergoes a more rapid postnatal development in comparison with the Macaca monkey, reaching a mature stage earlier than these species. In this current study, we examined the prenatal proliferation profile of cells in the entire retina employing the thymidine analogs and also determined their phenotype by double-label immunocytochemistry using type-specific markers.

Primate short-wavelength cones share molecular markers with rods.

Macaca, Callithrix jacchus marmoset monkey, Pan troglodytes chimpanzee and human retinas were examined to define if short wavelength (S) cones share molecular markers with L&M cone or rod photoreceptors. S cones showed consistent differences in their immunohistochemical staining and expression levels compared to L&M cones for "rod" Arrestin1 (S-Antigen), "cone" Arrestin4, cone alpha transducin, and Calbindin. Our data verify a similar pattern of expression in these primate retinas and provide clues to the structural divergence of rods and S cones versus L&M cones, suggesting S cone retinal function is "intermediate" between them.

Retrograde transneuronal degeneration in the retina and lateral geniculate nucleus of the V1-lesioned marmoset monkey.

Retrograde transneuronal degeneration (RTD) of retinal ganglion cells and dorsal lateral geniculate (LGN) neurons are well described following a lesion of the primary visual cortex (V1) in both Old World monkeys and humans. Based on previous studies of New World monkeys and prosimians, it was suggested that these species displayed no RTD following a lesion of V1. In this study of the New World marmoset monkey, 1 year after a unilateral V1 lesion either in adults or at 14 days after birth, we observed ~20 % ganglion cell (GC) loss in adult but ~70 % in infants.

Histologic development of the human fovea from midgestation to maturity.

Purpose: To describe the histologic development of the human central retina from fetal week (Fwk) 22 to 13 years.

Design: Retrospective observational case series.

Methods: Retinal layers and neuronal substructures were delineated on foveal sections of fixed tissue stained in azure II-methylene blue and on frozen sections immunolabeled for cone, rod, or glial proteins.

Maturation of the human fovea: correlation of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography findings with histology.

Purpose: To correlate human foveal development visualized by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) with histologic specimens.

Design: Retrospective, observational case series.

Methods: Morphology and layer thickness of retinal SDOCT images from 1 eye each of 22 premature infants, 30 term infants, 16 children, and 1 adult without macular disease were compared to light microscopic histology from comparable ages.