TRANSPLANTATION STUDIES OF THE RAT VISUAL SYSTEM

胚胎大鼠的视网膜和上丘将被移植到 新生儿的顶盖区域。传入和传出连接的模式 它们与宿主大脑形成的关系将使用各种解剖学方法进行测试 技术(放射自显影、光和电子的简并法 显微镜和辣根过氧化物酶)，以及生理。通过改变 供体组织和受体动物的年龄，应提供信息 关于时间在特定神经连接发展中的作用。这个 移植和自然寄主传入上位的相互关系 将对丘脑进行研究，以调查竞争在 确定轴突种群占据的领土。结果是 移植前的体外生长将作为初步的研究 研究特殊亲和力的分子基础。这些研究还包括 测试用移植的组织作为替代的可行性 受损区域。

Retina and superior colliculus from fetal rats will be transplanted to the tectal region of newborns. The patterns of afferent and efferent connections which they form with the host brain will be tested using a variety of anatomical techniques (autoradiography, degeneration methods for light and electron microscopy and horseradish peroxidase), as well as physiologically. By varying the age of the donor tissue and recipient animal, information should be provided on the role of timing in the development of specific neural connections. The interrelation of transplant and natural host afferents to the superior colliculus will be studied to investigate the role of competition in determination of the territories occupied by axon populations. The results of in vitro growth prior to transplantation will be studied as a preliminary to investigating the molecular basis of special affinities. These studies also test whether it may be feasible to use transplanted tissue as replacement for damaged regions.