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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Optic Nerve Transection: A Model of Adult Neuron Apoptosis in the Central Nervous System
Published on: May 12, 2011
Ganglion cell axon pathfinding in the retina and optic nerve
S F Oster1, M Deiner, E Birgbauer
1Department of Ophthalmology, Program in Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, K107, Beckman Vision Sciences Bldg, 10 Kirkham St, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Abstract:
The eye is a highly specialized structure that gathers and converts light information into neuronal signals. These signals are relayed along axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to visual centers in the brain for processing. In this review, we discuss the pathfinding tasks RGC axons face during development and the molecular mechanisms known to be involved. The data at hand support the presence of multiple axon guidance mechanisms concentrically organized around the optic nerve head, each of which appears to involve both growth-promoting and growth-inhibitory guidance molecules. Together, these strategies ensure proper optic nerve formation and establish the anatomical pathway for faithful transmission of information between the retina and the brain.
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