XXXX -diaphorase neurons in the retina of the hamster.

@entity1 @entity10747 @entity2479 @entity1110 @entity11702
@entity1110 -diaphorase-positive neurons have been demonstrated in the inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer of the retina of different @entity1 species, but so far no experiments have been conducted to identify whether these cells are amacrine cells and/or @entity2479 cells. We attempted to solve this problem by studying the @entity1110 -diaphorase-positive neurons in the hamster retina. From the @entity1110 -diaphorase histochemical reaction, two distinct types of neurons in the hamster retina were identified. They were named @entity11702 (g) and @entity11702 (i) cells. The @entity11702 (g) cells were cells with larger somata, ranging from 10 to 21 microns in diameter with a mean of 15.58 microns (S.D. = 2.59). They were found in the ganglion cell layer only. The @entity11702 (i) cells were smaller, with the somata ranging from 7 to 11 microns and having the mean diameter of 8.77 microns (S.D. = 1.24). Most of the @entity11702 (i) cells were found in the inner nuclear layer, and only very few could be observed in the inner plexiform layer. On average, there were 8,033 @entity11702 (g) and 5,051 @entity11702 (i) cells in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer, respectively. Two experiments were performed to clarify whether any of the @entity1110 -diaphorase neurons were @entity2479 cells. Following unilateral optic nerve section, which leads to the @entity10747 of @entity2479 cells, the numbers of both @entity11702 (g) and @entity11702 (i) cells did not change significantly for up to 4 months. In addition, when @entity2479 cells were prelabeled retrogradely (horseradish peroxidase or fluorescent microspheres) and retinas were then stained for @entity1110 diaphorase, no double-labeled neurons were detected. These results indicated that the @entity1110 -diaphorase neurons in the hamster retina were the amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer and displaced amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer. Dendrites of the @entity11702 (g) and @entity11702 (i) cells were found to stratify in sublaminae 1, 3, and 5 of the inner plexiform layer, with a prominent staining in the sublamina 5. The possible importance of this arrangement in the rod pathway is also discussed.
