Summary
The development of the trout optic nerve is quantitatively described from early ontogenesis into adulthood. The nerve is oval in cross section until stage 34, thereafter the formation of vertically aligned parallel folds can be observed and thus the unique shape of a folded ribbon is gradually attained. Quantitative measurements revealed a linear increase in cross sectional area, caused in part by the formation of new folds and in part by an increase in size of the preexisting ones. We attribute the continuous expansion of individual folds to an increase in fiber size subsequent to myelination rather than to the addition of new fibers. The total number of glial cells increased concomitantly per fold.
Myelinogenesis starst at stage 33 with the ensheathement of axons beginning at the dorsal edge of the primary fold and follows a highly ordered pattern throughout development, strictly succeeding neural outgrowth. The functional significance of this pattern is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abercrombie M (1946) Estimation of nuclear population from microtome sections. Anat Rec 94:238–245
Dalton AJ (1955) A chrome-osmium fixative for electron microscopy. Anat Rec 121:281
Hirose G, Bass NH (1973) Maturation of oligodendroglia and myelinogenesis in rat optic nerve: a quantitative histochemical study. J Comp Neurol 152:201–210
Jeserich G (1981a) A morphological and biochemical study of myelinogenesis in fish brain. Dev Neurosci 4:373–381
Jeserich G (1981b) Ingrowth of optic nerve fibers and onset of myelin ensheathment in the optic tectum of trout. Cell Tiss Res
Jeserich G, Breer H (1980) The optic tectum of fish—a model system for studying central myelination. In: Brederoo P, de Priester W (eds) Proc seventh Europ Congr Electr Micr. The Hague pp 150–151
Johns PR (1977) Growth of the adult goldfish eye. III. Source of the new retinal cells. J Comp Neurol 176:343–358
Krüger L, Maxwell DS (1967) Comparative fine structure of vertebrate neuroglia: teleosts and reptiles. J Comp Neurol 129:115–142
Lyall AH (1957) The growth of the trout retina. QJ Microsc Sci 98:101–110
Meyer RL (1980) Mapping the normal and regenerating retinotectal projection of goldfish with autoradiographic methods. J Comp Neurol 189:273–289
Meyer RL, Sperry RW (1976) Retino-tectal specificity: chemoaffinity theory. In: Gottlieb G (ed) Studies on the development of behaviour and the nervous System, vol 3: neural and behavioral specificity. Academic Press, New York, pp 111–149
Murray M (1976) Regeneration of retinal axons into the goldfish optic tectum. J Comp Neurol 68:175–196
Rager G (1976) Morphogenesis and physiogenesis of the retinotectal connection in the chicken. I. The retinal ganglion cells and their axons. Proc R Soc Lond (B) 192:331–352
Rahmann H, Jeserich G (1978) Quantitative morphogenetic investigations on fine structural changes in the optic tectum of the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) during ontogenesis. Wilhelm Roux's Arch 184:83–94
Schmidt JT (1978) Retinal fibers alter tectal positional markers during the expansion of the retinal projection in goldfish. J Comp Neurol 177:279–300
Scholes JH (1979) Nerve fiber topography in the retinal projection to the tectum. Nature 278:620–624
Sharma SC, Ungar F (1980) Histogenesis of the goldfish retina. J Comp Neurol 191:373–382
Skoff RP, Price DL, Stocks A (1976) Electron microscopic autoradiographic studies of gliogenesis in rat optic nerve II. Time of origin. J Comp Neurol 169:313–334
Skoff RP, Toland D, Nast E (1980) Pattern of myelinogenesis of neuroglial cells along the developing optic system of the rat and rabbit. J Comp Neurol 191:237–253
Springer AD, Agranoff BW (1977) Effect of temperature on rate of goldfish optic nerve regeneration: a radioautographic and behavioral study. Brain Res 128:405–415
Stensaas LJ (1977) The ultrastructure of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia in the optic nerve of urodele amphibians (A punctatum, T. pyrrhogaster, T. viridescens). J Neurocytol 6:269–286
Vernier JM (1969) Table chronologique du developpement embryonnaire de la truite arc-en-ciel Salmo gairdneri, Rich 1836. Ann Embryol Morphol 2:495–520
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jeserich, G. Pattern of structural differentiation in the optic nerve of trout (Salmo gairdneri). Wilhelm Roux' Archiv 191, 176–184 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00848333
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00848333