Radel Lab Images; retina

Images related to my research

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Embryonic retinae transplanted to intracranial locations in newborn rats develop many of the anatomical and functional features of normal retinae, and are capable of eliciting host responses when illuminated. This research is funded through the National Eye Institute of the NIH.

Click on a thumbnail image below to view a larger photo.

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Intracranial retinal transplant, located above the cerebellum <--
Higher magnification view of the transplant shown at the left, showing photoreceptors identified using an anti-rhodopsin monoclonal antibody

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Infrared views of a host rat's eye before and after transcranial illumination of a retinal transplant located above the host cerebellum.

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A retinal ganglion cell in a transplanted retina, labeled by post-mortem application of diI to the Olivary Pretectal Nucleus. This nucleus mediates the constriction phase of the pupillary light reflex, and this transplant was able to elicit pupillary responses in the host eye when illuminated.

Interestingly ....

.... although transplanted retinae develop the cell types and laminar features of normal retinae, the photoreceptor outer segments appear sparse and disorganized even in young transplants. As such transplants age, the outer segments deteriorate and eventually disappear. The cell bodies of these photoreceptors also exhibit a progressive loss.

		<-- Low (left) and higher (right) magnification views of an intracranial retinal transplant, 1 month after transplantation.
		<-- Low (left) and higher (right) magnification views of an intracranial retinal transplant, 6 months after transplantation.

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Last Update: Nov 2000

<-- Intracranial retinal transplant, located above the cerebellum		<-- Higher magnification view of the transplant shown at the left, showing photoreceptors identified using an anti-rhodopsin monoclonal antibody
	<-- Infrared views of a host rat's eye before and after transcranial illumination of a retinal transplant located above the host cerebellum.
<-- A retinal ganglion cell in a transplanted retina, labeled by post-mortem application of diI to the Olivary Pretectal Nucleus.	This nucleus mediates the constriction phase of the pupillary light reflex, and this transplant was able to elicit pupillary responses in the host eye when illuminated.