Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

12:06
Optic Nerve Transection: A Model of Adult Neuron Apoptosis in the Central Nervous System
Published on: May 12, 2011
Optic nerve axons: life and death before birth
1Institute of Child Health, London WC1N IEH, UK. d.taylor@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Eye (London, England)
|April 2, 2005
Summary
This lecture honors Sir William Bowman and discusses the epidemiology of anterior visual pathway developmental disorders. It reviews normal development and conditions like optic nerve aplasia, hypoplasia, and achiasmia.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The lecture commemorates Sir William Bowman and addresses the significance and epidemiology of developmental disorders affecting the anterior visual pathway.
- It provides a historical overview of the anterior visual system's development.
Discussion:
- The normal development of the optic nerve and optic chiasm is reviewed.
- Key developmental disorders including Optic Nerve Aplasia, Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, and Achiasmia are discussed.
Key Insights:
- Understanding the epidemiology of these disorders is crucial for diagnosis and management.
- Normal developmental processes provide a baseline for identifying abnormalities.
Outlook:
- Further research into the etiology and treatment of anterior visual pathway disorders is warranted.
- Continued study of developmental processes can inform clinical interventions.
Related Concept Videos
Nervous Tissue: Myelin
The myelin sheath is a multilayered lipid and protein covering that insulates the axon of a neuron, enhancing the speed of nerve impulse conduction. Axons without this sheath are referred to as unmyelinated. Two types of neuroglia, Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) are responsible for producing myelin sheaths.
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
Anatomy of the Eyeball
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...

