Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 1, 945-955, Copyright © 1981 by Society for Neuroscience
Cellular interactions and pattern formation in the development of the visual system of Daphnia magna (Crustacea, Branchiopoda). II. Induced retardation of optic axon ingrowth results in a delay in laminar neuron differentiation
ER Macagno
Groups of embryonic photoreceptors in one side of the compound eye of
Daphnia were irradiated with an ultraviolet microbeam at a stage when the
cells were postmitotic but had yet to elaborate axons. Immediately after
irradiation, the embryos were placed under fluorescent illumination. On the
average, 16 of the irradiated photoreceptors were killed by the exposure.
Previous observations suggest that an approximately equal number were
rescued by the post-irradiation fluorescent illumination. The schedule of
differentiation of the rescued photoreceptors was affected such that their
axons arrived at the target region in the optic lamina from 2 to 10 hr
after they would have normally. Serial section electron microscopic
analysis showed that differentiation of laminar neurons contacted by the
delayed axons also was delayed by a length of time corresponding to the
delay in axon arrival. These and previous observations indicate that the
differentiation of laminar neurons is triggered by contact with optic axons
and can be initiated over a period of several hours after these cells
become postmitotic.