Neuronal ectopia in tiger retina

Ocular pathology in a ten week-old tiger is described. In the retinae of both glaucomatous eyes, venous congestion and scattered hemorrhages were observed; rare perivascular infiltrates were seen. The basal lamina of the inner limiting membrane was considerably thickened, and serous exudates were widely distributed within the vitreous body. The retina was studied with a series of specific antibodies. Müller (glial) cells were well developed and could be immuno-labelled by antibodies against both vimentin and glial fibrillary protein (GFAP). Neurofilament-specific antibodies revealed the presence of ganglion and horizontal cells, and of a nerve fibre layer which was unusually distant from the inner limiting membrane. Within both plexiform layers, scattered neuronal cells were found. The most important finding was the presence of cells between the nerve fibre layer and the inner limiting membrane, which could be immuno-labelled by neuron-specific antibodies, and which expressed thy typical morphology of migrating neuroblasts. It is suggested that this neuronal ectopia might be due to an inflammatory related reactive change in Müller cells which, in turn, might have lost their orderly guiding function for migrating neuroblasts.